The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-17
The "6euarter1y Review HDd
Mrs. Esecchcr stowe.
Prom ne roU Hau Gazette.

so further consideration of what is called
''The Byron Mystery At the same time the
Reoicio statos that it recognizes no absolute
necessity for rejoinder or reply; but 1t desires
TO remedy any want OF completeness In It's
former article, owing TO unavoidable causes;
and it is now in n condition to explain fully
the circumstances under which Lady Byron's
letters of January and February, 1916, were
written to Mrs Leigh. Further, it is stated
that these letters were received from legiti-
mate sources, and were authenticated by the
Earl of Chichester, Lord William Godolphin
Osborne, and Mr.. George Leigh, the only
surviving son of Colonel and Mrs. Leigh.
While Mrs Stowe has undertaken, or be-
come involvedin, the threefold task of strength
ening, as best she may, her charge against
Lord Byron, of vindicating Lady Byron's
completely in that charge, and of extenuating
her own conduct in dragging the whole moi
some matter into public notice, the function
of the reviewer is of simpler nature. He
concerns himself simply with defense Of
Lord Byron-with a emulation of evidence
in support of that defense. He is not inte-
rested in framing any theory which, on the
ground of hallucination or otherwise, may
supply an apology for Lady Byrons conduct;
it is not for him to reconcile or account for
discrepancies or inconsistencies in her career;
still less has he to study Mrs. Stoves pro-
ceedings. He has but to defend Lord Byron;
and if in so doing to the best of his power,
and fortified by such proofs as he can COM
mand, he damages others or diminishes
esteemed regulations, that is not his affair.
The reviewer, however, is prepared to
allow Mrs Stowe ''the full benefit of her de-
lusions so far as her general character for
veracity mot accuracy is concerned, while
he wholly declines to give her the credit she
claims on account of disinterested motives
and elevated objects He quotes Bacon's re-
mark, that ''there is no magnifying glass
like preiudicate opinion, and proceeds to
regard Mrs. Stowe as one of those persons
whose intellectual vision is so clouded with
prejudice that they see everything through
distorting medium. Thus she was led to read
''The Dream" and to insist that its heroine
was not Mary Chaworth, but Mrs. Leigh; and
thus she misinterpreted the solitary piece of
documentary evidence she could appeal to
in confirmation of her story the paper handed
to her by Lady Byron, containing brief
memorandum Of the charge, with the dates
affixed" and which paper Mrs Stowe took
with her to London to peruse and consider.
Here we quote the reviewers own words:-
''She returned it TO Lady Byron; We have read 1t,
and we positively assert that it contains not sylla
ble from which any sane person without a preiudi-
cate opinion could collect that Lady Byron ever
made the change in question: or any charge involy-
ing crime at any time. IL simply confirms some OF
the preliminary and incidental details OF the story.
1t is open to Mrs. Stowe to rejoin, how
ever, that she read the memorandum, as it
was intended to be read, by the light Of Lady
Byrons spoken narrative
The persons most about Lady Byron dur
ing the worst period, the last two months, of
her cohabitation with her husband, were Mrs.
Leigh, Mrs Clermont, and Captain afterwards
Lord Byron; and with Mrs. Leigh and Cap
tain Byron she took counsel touching her
every step until she quilted her husbands
house, and committed regularly her every
cause of complaint to them, to Mrs. Cler-
mont, and to another female friend. Her
principal confdant throughout was Mrs.
Leigh, however, who kept her infinitely in
formed of the state of things in Piccadilly
after her departure, using at the same time
all her influence to prevent matters from
coming to extremity. ''rhis explains, says
the quarterly, ''why Lady Byron wrote in
such passionate terms of gratitude and conf
dence to Mrs. Leigh, and why the child was
christened Augusta Ada. To the objection
that the letters published in the Quarterly
were fragmentary, the reviewer replies, "four
of them are entire, and correspondence to fill
moderate volume, all tending to the same
conclusion, has been preserved" Further
letters are then given.
Lady Byrons confinement took place on
the 10th of December, 1915; and though
Lady Noel had been expected in town, it does
not appear that she was present at the time,
and 1T is probable that Mrs. Clermont was
despatched from Kirkby in her stead. The
new letters adduced are not all dated, but
would seem to have been written between
the 9Th of November and the 10th of Decem-
ber. Mrs. Leigh is in all addressed by Lady
Byron in terms of extreme affection. There
is an execution in Piccadilly, and Byron S
state of excitement from this and other
causes appears intense. Lady Byron writes
to her sister-in-law:-
''God knows what suffered Yesterday and am
suffering from B. distraction, which is OF the very
worst kind. He leaves the house, telling me he will
abandon himself to every sort OF desperation
speaks TO me only TO upbrad me with having mar
rled him when he wished not, and says he is there
fore acquitted of all principle towards me, and
must consider myself only TO be answerable for the
vicious courses to which his despair will drive him
and is driving him. The going out of the house and
the drinking are the most fatal. He was really quite
frantic yesterday; said he did not for any
sequences TO me, and II seemed impossible TO tell il
his feelings towards You or me were the most COM
petely reversed; for as have told you, he loves or
hates MS together God knows what he will do.
ind in a religious trust the only comfort and peace
can experience Things never serious.
don't mean the circumstances, for they must mend
but his feelings. You shall hear again tomorrow,
but hope for no better. Don't be unhappy
about me, and perhaps you will see less tnan
j do to be so about him.
II have awaited to the last in the hope OF some
change; but IL is incurable pride ana madness U
Augusta, will it ever change for me? | scarcely
know what say; though / have been making the
best OF things till yesterday when selfdeception he
came impossible. / have thought that since las
Saturday (on which night lie sat drinking with Kin
uards party till haf-past in the mOrning) his head
has never been right, and he will add, / fear more
and more 70 the cause.
.sB- relented last night-fOr he returned Garlic
from the play and took the opportunity OF attack
ing him, which had scarcely had before, as he hat
never been in my company throughout the day 70
much more than an hour. lie was Kind TO me again
but still rather odd. However, am very thankful