The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-11


mony on the subject. Lord Byrons account
of his marriage and separation is taken from
Medwins journal of the Conversations of
Lord Byron, noted during residence with
his Lordship at Pisa, in the years 1921 and
1922
EL0RD BYR0F,s STORY.
Avery full account of my marriage and sepa-
ration is contained in my memoirs. After they
were completed, L wrote to Lady Byron, pro-
posing to send them for her inspection in
order that any nnisstatements or inaccuracy
(if any such existed, which was not aware
of might be pointed out and corrected. In
her answer she declined the offer, without
assigning any reason; but desiring, if not on
her account, for the sake of her daughter,
that they might never appear, and finishing
with q threat. My reply was the seyerest
thing / ever wrote. told her that she
knew all 1 had written was incontrover-
tible truth, and that she did not wish
10 sanction the truth. / ended by saying that
she might depend on their being published.
1t was not till after this correspondence that
/ made Moore the depositary of the MS.
The first time of my seeing Miss Milbanke
was at Lady IS. It was fatal day; and
remember that In going up stairs / STUN
bled, and remarked to Moore, who accom-
panied me, that it was bad omen. ought
to have taken the warning. On entering
the room / observed q young lady more
simply dressed than the rest of the
assembly sitting alone upon a sofa. 1
took her for female companion, and asked
If / was right in my conjecture? ''She is
great heiress, said he in a whisper, that be-
came lower as he proceeded; 'you had better
marry her and repair the old place, New
stead. "
There was something piquant and what we
term pretty in Miss Milbanke. Her features
were small and feminine, though not
regular. She had the fairest skin imaginable.
Her figure was perfect for her height, and
there was simplicity, a retired modesty
about her, which was very characteristic, and
formed happy contrast to the cold artificial
formalty and studied stiffness which is called
fashion. She interested me exceedingly. l
became daily more attached to her, and it
ended in my making her proposal that was
rejected Her refusal was couched in terms
which could not offend me- was, besides,
persuaded that in declining my offer she was
governed by the influence of her mother; and
was the more confirmed in my opinion by her
reviying our correspondence herself twelve
months after The tenor of her letter was
that, although she could not love me, she de-
sired my friendship. Friendship is a danger
GUS word for young ladies'; it is love full
Aedged and waiting for a fine day to fly.
1t had been predicted by Mrs. Williams
that twenty-seven was to be a dangerous age
for me. The fortune-telling witch
was right it was destined to prove
3D. 1 shall never forget the I'd of Janu-
ary, 1876; Lady Byron was the only
nnconcerned person present; Lady Noel, her
mother, cried; trembled like leaf, made
the wrong responses and after the ceremony
called her Miss Milbanke.
There is singular history attached to the
ring. The very day the match was concluded
ring of my mothers, that had been lost, was
dug up by the gardener at Newstead 1
thought it was sent on purpose for the we'd
ding; but my mothers marriage had not been
fortunate one, and this ring was doomed to
be the seal of an unhappier union still.
After the ordeal was over, we set off for
country-seat of Sir Ralph's Nady b. s father,
and Twas surprised at the arrangements for the
journey, and somewhat out of humor to find
the lady's maid stuck between me and my
bride. 1t was rather too early to assume the
husband; SO was forced to submit, but it
was not with very good grace 1 have been
riage, that had married Lady Byron out of
spite, and because she had refused me twice.
Though was for a moment vexed at her
prudery, or whatever you may choose to call
1t, If had made so uncavalier, not to saw
brutal speech, am convinced Lady Byron
would instantly have left the carriage to me
and the maid. She had spirit enough to have
done so, and would properly have resented
the aftront. Our honeymoon was not all sun
shine; it had its clouds, and Hobhouse has
some letters which would serve to explain the
rise and fall in the barometer, but it was
never down at zero. .rgE lI.rT
You tell me the world says married Miss
Nilbanke for her fortune, because she was q
great heiress. All / have ever received, or
am likely to receive (and that has been twice
paid back, too, was e10, 600. My own in
come at this period was small, and somewhat
bespoke Newstead was very unproitable
estate, and brought me in bare G15O0
year; the Lancashire property was hampered
with o law suit, which has cost me el4, ,OOO,G
and is not yet finished. H ~
We had house in town, gave dinner-parties,
had separate carriages, and launched into every
sort of extravaganza. This could not last
long; my wifes ten thousand pounds soon
melted away. was beset by duns, and at
length an execution was levied and the
bailiffs put in possession of the very beds we
had to sleep on. This was no very agreeable
state of affairs, no very pleasant scene for
Lady Byron to witness; and it was agreed she
should pay her father visit till the storm
had blown over, and some arrangement had
been made with my creditors. ~ "A 2
You may suppose on what terms we parted.
from the style of letter she wrote me on the
road: you will think it began ridiculously
enough--"Dear Duckpo r,TOH ~ I
Imagine my astonishment to receive, imme-
diately on her arrival in London, few lines
iEom her father of a very dry and unaffec- !
nonate nature, beginning, Sir, and ending
with saying that his daughter should never
see me again. !,