The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-02-17


we're living 2" ten years having elapsed since
she had bad any intercourse with England.
Yet in the "True Story" Mrs. Stowe had in
dulped in this maudlin bit of fattery:--"To
the children left by her daughter Lady Byron
ministered with the faithfulness of guardian
angel; and il is owing to her influence that
those who yet remain are some of the best
and noblest of mankind"
Mrs. Stoves admission that before Lady
Byron's disclosure to her she had heard the
same story from Mrs. - (supposed to be
Mrs. Jameson) is commented upon. Her
first statement induced q belief that until
LADY Byron spoke the subject was quite new
to her. Further, the reviewer lands Mrs.
Stowe in dilemma. Her coniectures are
contradictory. She submits, first, that Lady
Byron might have made allowance for Mrs.
Leigh on the ground of her being a weak
woman under her brothers control-''a pre-
cious apology for such a crime!" But if Mrs.
Leigh was weak woman, why did Lady
Byron lean upon and confde in her, and beg
her to stay on with her brother? Secondly,
that Mrs Leigh was strong-minded woman,
and persuaded Lady Byron that matters had
not gone beyond insane attempts which she
had resisted, and that she alone could control
his insanity "But, says the Reoie,o, ''after
what Lady Byron had seen and Lord Byron
had justified, after the revelation had come
in a way that left no kind of doubt such an
appeal to credulity by Mrs Leigh would be
preposterous. Besides, Lady Byrons letters
show that she did not think his sister capable
of controlling him"
In reply to Mrs. Stoves suggestion that any
wife placed as she supposes Lady Byron to
have been placed would have done as she did,
the reviewer observes -
"We in our turn, fearlessly ask any wife, except
one OF Mr.. Hepworth DiXoD's spiritual wives:-
'Supposng your husband and sister were involved
together IN an infamous crime, would you leave them
together when you separated from your husband on
that ground? Would you write entreating her stay
with him? Would you have carried your infant
Would you have gone on living with her in the
closest intimacy? Would you have expatiated on
her virtues to your friends, and employed her as
yOur recognized medium OF communication with
her paramount"
Finally, Mrs. Stoves allegation that the
reference in Byrons letters to Moore (of
the I'd of February, 1879 of an illegiti-
mate child born before Ada and Allegra,
points to the 'child of sin, is met by point
ing out the lines ''To my Son" written in
1907, and a stanza in don Juan" bearing
upon the matter. There is no positive proof
on either side; but is it fair for Mrs. Stowe to
ignore altogether the presumptive evidence
that some years before his marriage Lord
Byron was the parent of child, to whom
his letter was applicable quite as much, at
any rate, as to the supposed offspring of in
cest?
''She has canonized the sinner intending
to defy the saint, says the reviewer, bidding
her farewell. The epigram has its justice.
The Quarterly has at least fortified the de-
fense of Lord Byron. The ''Vindication
as our readers learned by the assistance of
the book telegraphed to us as soon as it ap-
peared in America-does little more than re-
iterate, with fresh acrimony and increased
vehemence, the charge against the poet. BE-
tween the accusation and the defense it is
probable that a certain gap will always exist.
This gap, however, has greatly narrowed in
the course of the controversy, and the deci-
sion of public opinion cannot be doubted
With something of the pulpit excita-
ton and mingling of sanctimoniousness with
savageness that characterize her manner, Mrs.
Stowe now refers the question for adjudica-
ton at the day of doom. She MG'l expects
to speak colloquialy- Lord Byron will
be properly Served out" and seems to re-
joice in the prospect with something of old
Sir David Lindsay's notion of the pleasure
that will be afforded to those in Heaven by
the spectacle Of the sufferings of the
damned:-
They sail rejoys to see the great dolour
or dampnit folks in He'll, and their torment,
Because OF God it is the juste jugement.