The New York herald., 1870-04-19
THE lLLUSTRlOUs BYRON.

Captain Mnyne Reid's Lecture mt Steinwny
Hall.
fine audience greeted Captain Mayne Reid last
evening at Stenway Hall to hear his lecture upon
Lord Byron. Though 1t raned the unfavorable
weather did not prevent the gathering OF brilliant
array OF fashion and intellect. anxious at once
to pay tribute 10 the revered memory OF the Eng
lish bard ana testify to the esteem and appreciation
which the lecturer mas inspired IN this country
not only by his distinguished literary works but
by the courageous opposition which he so reso-
ulely nung in the teeth of New England Bohe-
mian transcendentalists. The venerable James
w. Gerard presided, and upon the stage was the
sivered poet Bryant and the famous naturalist. Pro-
lessor Is. Waterhouse Hawkins. Mr. Gerard. In
presenting Captain REID, referred to the lecturers
eminent military services, the extraordinary Ier-
tility OF his mind ana the ripping nuency of his
pen. He pointed out the poor reward which by
courtesy Is styled compensation for literary SER
vices-io the struggles which glowing mind has
with sordid matter-and TO The extraordinary ease
by which man can achieve fortune by servltude to
politics, but which the lecturer mad wisely neglected
TO DO. Captain Reid then came forward, iaShiOnaby
attired Ill ight brown pants, closely buttoned coat
ana canary Kids.
He began his discourse by considering the won.
derfu succession OF events which by turns height
ened and darkened the history OF Europe and Amer
lea during the bloody days preceding the reign OF
terror. His address was conceived In the dramatic
spirit and In GESTURE personal presence pose OF the
body, careless and, therefore, an ARTISTIC atti-
tude, he threw ANIMATION into his delivery and
Metaphor abOunded In the eloquent sentences he
employed In speaking OF the infant agonies
OF language was exquisite, and the ar
gumen! and unity of the exordium per-
terrible events which clouded the skies OF empires,
when Byron was born, he gave some account OF the
eary o the greatest poet OF times OF
tender care OF a watchrul and loving mother, the
sudden stroke OF fortune Dy which George Gordon
Byron became peer OF England at the age OF
eleven years In 1799 OF his mOdesty In his position
Of greater dignity, and OF MS youthful aptitude for
Character falsely blackened by defamation, and
meanly assaiied by slander and calumny. He
scorched and wlthered the petty maidens who were
not by invectlve and denunclatOn-but on, how
they would have felt by omission. Madame
Stowe was not even mentioned. He then considered
how Lord Byron had exposed the hoOwness, falsty
ana humbuggery OF modern society; now he bled
the literary men OF their thunder by applying the
snarp lancet OF hts satire; how he offended nations
England Austria, Russia, Portugal, Italy and
Greece-and therefore stood against mankind soil
tary and alone. lie gave the memory OF that poet
cal tOady and educated parasite, Tom Moore few
grains OF Intellectual arsenic, for having been so
treacherous 70 the memory OF his great peer;
for seconding lies, and allowing the character OF
man who mad bequeathed him the most hon
sSe 1lea mouths Of his fou tradDcers oheaR Moore
VINO sought the halls and society Of the great mad
been borne TO his grave In hired hearse without q
Titled mOurner. He gave this tathless and wicked
biOgrapher OF Byron deserved review for breach
OF trust second only to the outrageous meanness
WuCu mduc uTlSWOlu, Us fOc'S eAcCutOr, al ma
nous knave The separation between Byron and
his wife was to save antestate from the bail1s and
MOore's destruction OF the memoirs was Influenced
by money; 1t had about 1t the click Of gold.
or Lord ByrOns generosity, nobility, manli-
ness, modesty, OutspOken manner, the lecturer
discOursed elOquently and was loudly applauded.
He entered into no critical analysis OF his works.
but read coplously from their splendid catalogue.
There was Sound OF Reveiry by Night, was
executed with feeling and poetic iervor; but "Man
fred" was the best-tne moody cynlc standing the
Jungfrau MOuntain about to take the nnal leap.
no rnftn uUht an 10 a. afado
can be pictured by no living tongue, but as far
this masterpiece or tragedy can be rendered the
IRON various poems and closed with his famous
stanZas the ocean.