New-York tribune., 1870-01-04

Die, though TO many minds they VIII not
bc conclusive. We know from Lady Anne
Barnard that whilo Byron was abusing
and outragHg his young wife and trying
to corrupt her principles, Lady Byron kept his
sister with her as mach as possible" not suspectng
of course the criminal intimacy between them. The
first letter, not dated, probably belongs to this
period certainly there is intrinsic evidence that
it does not. When Byron confessed his crime. the
sister convinced Lady Byron that the whole story
was attributable TO insanity In her published
statement of the circumstances of the separation
Lady Byron says Previously to my departure il had
been strORgs impressed my mind that L0rd Byron
Was under the influence Of insanity This opinion
was IN great measure derived from the communi-
cations made TO me by his iRearcst relatives and per
sonal attendant 1t even represented to me that
he was in danger Of destroying himself" Now there
was no near relative TO whom these words could ap
ply except Mrs. Leigh. When the wife consulted DIR.
Baltic on the Sth of January to the supposed NAL
adv, it was again with the of his fami
ly" She went away believing in the story of insan
ity and in the sisters truth The next day she wrote
Mrs. Leigh: my dearest A, it is my great COM
fort that you still in Piccadilly." She wrote
at greater length but in similar strain
on the sd. But the published statement continues:
The accounts given me after left Lord Byron by
those in constant intercourse with him, added TO
those doubts which had before transiently occurred
to my mind to the reality of the alleged disease;
and the reports of his medical attendants far
from establishing anything like lunacy" II her
doubts were confirmed she determined never to re-
turn TO him. In tins distressed state of mind she
wrote the fourth letter to Mrs Leigh:
"Jan. 25, 1916
"Mr DEAREST AUGUSTA: Shall stn be your sister'
must resign rights to he considered; but don't
think that will make any difference in the kindness have
30 uniformly experienced from you"
a. Al. q
TO propose amicable separation. There ar tlree
letters to Mrs Leigh after this, namely on the Sd,
stu, and 14th. We need quote only the last:
"KIRKBY MALLORY, Feb. "A, 1916
The present suferings of all may yet be repaid in
blessings Do not despair absolutely dearest and leave
me but enough of your interest TO afford you any
ISOLATION by partaklng OF that which am
opinion hereafter and at present your berest reproach
would be forgiven though Heaven knows you have con
sidered me more than thousand would have done
more than anything but my affection for B. one most
feelings. FAREWELL God bless you from the bottom Of
my heart! ALB"
1t will be objected that the moment Lady Byron
began to believe her husband sane, she must also
have believed her husbands sister TO be guilty. but
Mrs. Stowe argues that Augusta had undoubtedly
denied the charges far her share in them went,
but admitted insane attempts upon herself which she
had been obliged to watch over and control When
Lady Byron came TO the conclusion that she was
been nothing more than real wicked purpose and
desire on the part of the brother; that the sister
was deceived and blinded, but still worthy
of confidence, and so says to her. YOH UiH
be Of my opinion hereafter" Is this an
improbable explanation Perhaps it is; but GER
tany not an impossible one and it offers upon the
whole fewer difficulties than any other
imagine. 1t may be urged that the communication
to DR.. Washington must have involved something
more than revelation of ByrOn's incestuOus de-
slres but il is quite within the limits of probability
that Lady Byron knew more of the case when she
made that communication than she did when she
wrote the letters. 1t about two weeks after the
date of the last note to Mrs Leigh that she held the
interview with her counsel and even if she stiu
satisfied of Augustus innocence il is quite cOnceiv
able that the lawyer should draw from the facts pre-
sented to him stronger differences than those which
forced themselves upon the mind Of the young wife.
This is Mrs Stoves solution of her chief difficulty,
and we must candidly say that although it requires
at least rather violent conjecture il is not mad
pissible and fits well the other parts of tIe story.
The narrative of Lady Anne Barnard. which was
supposed by many people to be fatal to the narrative
of Mrs. Stowe, confirms rather than shakes her
theory. 1t will hardly be safe" we wrote at the
time it appeared, to pronounce this complete
refutatiOn of Mrs Stowe. because il is possible to
explain all the circumstances brought forward in
Lord Lindsays communication by Lady ByTon'S
anxiety to keep the dreadful secret and tell
no more of the reasons for the separation than
were necessary to justify herself in the opinions of
her friends 1 trust you understand my Wishes
she writes which were never to injure Lord Byron
in any way; for though he would not suffer me to
remain his wife, he cannot prevent me from cOntinu
ing his friend" Whatever the'cause of separation,
it is indisputable that Lady Byron always kept
sort of tender feeling for her husband always hoped
for his repentance and as Mrs Stowe expresses it,
kept his place in society open for him in case
he should reform and come back. " Ii was
because considered myself his friend, she continues
in her letter to Lady Anne Barnard, that StleHCed
ths accusations by which my own conduct might have
been more fully justified" What were these accu-
sations' This rey charge of incest the chief Of
thcn as we learn both from the Guiccioli and from
Shelley; and how Lady Byron silenced it is told in
this letter of Shelley to Byron, dated Sept 20 1876
"Isaw Kinnsird, and had long talk with him. He
Informed me that Lady Byron now IN perfect heat
hat she living with your sister. felt much pleas,
as adordi,g decsiCe contradiction to the only important
caI,nny that tcas Advanced against yon On thls
sIe%I sTe%l@ at least VIII O''O0 'H' "O'D ''''' ~ 10
If we suppose that Lady Byron at this time was
aware of Mrs Leighs guilt, her behavior shows
character almost angelic; but her character un-
doubtedly cas an extraordinary one, and under the
influence of religious exaltatOn or strong sense OF
duty such as might be inspired by family cOnsidera-
tons, the welfare and happiness of her daughter the
peace of Colonel Legh's unsuspecting household or
even the true repentance and sorrow of the guilty
woman herself she was capaple of doing things
which not one woman in thousand could have
done One other curious expression in the letter TO
Lady Anne Barnard has escaped observation until
Mrs Stowe now points il out. II had heard writes
Lady Byron "he was the best Of brothers the most