The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-01-22
Origin Of the Byron incest. Sto-
v.

Speaking of Mrs Stoves announce
ment of new bookvthe New Yor1
"In this connection we may allud
TO tile announcement of another new
book, Medora. Leigh: A Dairy ane
Autobiography to be edited by Charlie
Mackay, and published by BentIy, Of
London. The veteran publisher re
Gently telegraphed to Mrs. Stowe an ar
gent request that she would postpone
the publication of her book until she
shonld have an opportunity of correct.
ing her impression, and in learning the
origin of the slanderous charge Of incest
brought against Lord Byron and bis
half sister the Hon. Mrs. Leigh. Me-
dora Leigh was the, fourth daughter Of
Mrs. Leigh. ~ liza. "
AT the age of fifteen, while living
with her elder sister, the wife of the
scoundsel T@evanion, she was seduccd
by her sisters husband, who after sepe
rating from his wife, carried Madeira to
the south of France. There the sedu-
Ger and his victim lived together for
several years before, in order to retain
his hold upon her, Trevanion invented
and told her the horrible story that
Lord Byron was her father. This sto-
ry Medora communicated in reproach-
tul letter to her mother, who never re-
| piled to it. Lady Byron subsequently
heard OF the story, hunted up Medora
and brought her home, afterwards, in
one OF her freaks sent her away. Such,
according to this Diary and Autobio
graphy,' which, brief, and meagre as it
is, MI. Benly believes to be authentic,
Is the story, which crazed Lady Byron,
and when, repeated by Mrs. Stowe, has
scandalized the world. Perhaps Mrs.
Stowe will tell us something mere about
Medora Leigh in her forthcoming vol
ume.'' 1 f'''''sT |
- William Henry Hurlbnrt writes from
Rome to. the New York World: j., ~.
"AIl roads, you know, lead to Rome !; !
so perhaps ought not to be surprised
at getting in Rome an odd bit of intor-
nation about a matter which [ presume
will interest many uf our readers, though !
| confess that tor me. it las utterly lost
all interest whatever. Twas last night |
told, by a person who is thoroughly
an fait of all thelstory of Lord B. ron's
life, thai Mrs. Stowe undoubtedly would /
publish. some new exposition of the mas
ty, story which she has taken in to nurse,
and that in. the said exposition she
would pretty GER airly set for the Ia-
spection OF her fel'ow-wliters what tpur-
ports to be, and is,by her very possibly 1
believed to be, an original letter written
by woman Claiming to be the daughter
of Lord Byron and Augusta Leigh.
They had a way of burying monstrohs
truths in the Old Pagan days which,
from certain rather important points of
view, as ,itroecurs to me, Was a practice 1
not wholly to be condemned - ,z..., +
Mrs Anna Cora Mowatt -Ritchie h
writes from London to the San Francisco I
Chronicle that she has heard a member
If Lady .Byron's family acknowledge !
hat Lady Byron made the same state
nent to him about Mrs. Leish which j,
seems to have been made to Mrs. Stowe.
We also learn srom Mrs. Ritcuie that I
Col. George ,G4rdan de Runna Byron
1as arrived in England, and laid before
lord Wentworth his claimto be rscog- /,
liizpd as the legitimate son of the poet.
Col Byron was an ufficers of F'remont's ,
Turing the var, and his story, has been /
:xteusiyely published. in the American i
,ress, He4says that. Lord Byron Eisi- /
ed Spain during his early youth, aud /
here contracted a secret marriage with ee
Catholic lady of good family but de- ,
citing her and becoming enamored of /
ther fair faces. he determined. to con !
ral an alliance VIII ch was legally not I
'in,iug This American colonel, avows
imself the =fruit of that union. lie II
nrtler avows that Lady Byron discov- !
red the secret by means OF some cor It
espondence between the poet and his j
spanish bride, aud this discovery was d
hee the, true cause Of .the famous ,sepa- a
alton Col, Byron seems 10 have fur e
ished no proofas yet to sabstaptiate his II
tales. and Lord Wentworth ac- II
deters receiving him with t
pen arms. taSs7 sa 3saeFH4sz EH3 .,2sGs. |
- ~eH 2tiHsHi Ese .atRtt. .,.1i a. gst ,.rs,