The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-22
BULWER AND RLs WIEE.

tretenps that We have felt 1t a duty 10 write
about.
BULWER AND his WEE.
The Story of their Marriage and their
Misery.
Edward Bulwer LyttoD, seys Appleton's
Journal, seems 10 have combined, In charac-
ter and good fortune, all that, as men are apt
to suppose, produces earthly happiness. Yet
Bulwer was far from being happy man, even
In the glddy emInence of hIs youth; and hls
old age was spent In morose seclusion, which
Indicated that permanent gloom had settled
down upon bis soul. Casting glance back
along hls remarkable and really romantic ca
reer, but one cloud seems ever to have cast a
shadow upon it, and that was the cloud which
lay always between sunshine and home. Bull
wel's separation from bis wife, and the open,
aud public, and long-continued quarrel which
succeeded 1t, were certainly well calculated to
embllter the most hourlshing worldly good
fortune.
He appears to have met the young lady
who became his vile at The house OF Miss
Spence, an odd little maiden lady, at whose
mansion, in Little Quebec street, Mayfair, a
select literary coterie was wont to assemble
weekly. Mias Spence had written, in con-
junction with the future Lady Bulwer, 9 novel
called Dame Rebecca Berry," and was noted
for her pleasant chltchat and for the high,
old-fashlOned turban she always wore. Bull
wer's appearance as literary lion caused
Miss Spence 10 invite him to her CONVERSE
zlones; and there he became familiar With
II, indeed, he did not for the first time be-
hold-'.the beautiful and gifted Rosina
Wheeler" The Whartons say of this brilliant
young Irish lady: ITO q perfect beauty OF
great wit, great lveliness and power OF ap-
DreclatIon." Bulwer himself, at this time,
was III fair young man of arlstocratic ele-
yance, full OF wit and fancy" His attachment
for Miss Wheeler soon bpcam0 passionate,
and 1t seemed as cordial love match as Lon
don society had seen for many DAY. Sne
apparently worshipped hls genius, he her
beauty and wit.
They lived together for several years In ap.
parent tranquility; but, from what has since
transrired, II Ia clear that very early In their
welded existence domestic dissenslon arose,
and that their home life soon became positive
ly unhappy. What the causes OF disagreement
were Is not more definitely known 10 the world
than those OF the Byron troubles; but the lady,
at least, spared no palms 10 lay her Side 81 The
unhappy story before the public. A woman OF
unhOubted courage and spirit, as well as bear-
", Lady Bulwer did not shrink FROM making
her quarrel with the baronet public one, but
continued ior years ID manifest. in various
ways, her utter detestation of the husband
whom she declared she had "loved deeply and
devolsdly tor years.
AS long ago as 1879, but very. few years
after their hnal separation, she began her pub
lie assaults upon hlm by the publication oil her
famous novel of 'Cheveley; or the Man OF
Honor,n which was boldly Issued under her
own name Of Lady Lytton Bulwer. This de-
scriptioa OF what was plainly Intended to be,
under the guse of aclion, The picture OF the
interior of r5al fashionable English nome, ls
ample evidence OF Lady Bulwet's literary
genius, and sufficiently refules Lady Nor.
eap's ''seml-wil" SDsinuaiion. It's portrayal
OF character, It's Intensity OF feeling, lib force
OF language, its descriptive power, marx her
as genius almost able 10 compete with her
husband In the field of fashionable romance.
The aulhoress leaves us IN not snaoow OF
doubt that Lord de Clifford IL BulWer, and
LADY de Clifford herself. The 'stralght, still,
obstinate brown hair" OF the former; nls nose.
which twas 30 aquillne that If 1t had appeared
on paper, instead OF on human lace, II
would have been pronounced carlcatufei'
his "rap bag" of mind; the description OF him
as "Csligua in bis clemency, and Draco IN
bis dlspleasure," belray the exaggerated Ike
ness Of the husband by the Indignant VILE.
Nor were the charges made against tne mover,
lat detailed less explicitly than the shape OF
his nose or the stiffness OF bis hauteur.
In effect, Lady Bulwer accused her lord of
having violent temper, with personal oru.
tally, and Of the far more serious crime OF
copingal inhdelity. She virtually acknoWl-
edges that a just jealousy on her part, fol-
lowed by retaliation against that jealousy On
his, was the real bottom Of the whole dill
Guilty. The novel also gives the evidence Oh
the lady that the husband at one time &C.
knowIedped his guilt, and begged to be for
given; that ne was 30 forgiven, only 10 trans
gress worse than before; and that lhereupon
she left him forever. "Cheveley" did not
slop short with presenting as repulslVe ana
luridly painted picture OF BulWer and OF
their domestic relations as ever was drawn.
Something might be held to be excueaole, u
not Justihable, In vile who certainly tnougnt
herself very gravely Injured, In exposing 10 a
gossDng West End world her story oi the
separation; nothing whatever could palllate
the literary castlgalion of the husoand's rela-
tives and friends. More than one bitter
Ihrust Ia dealt 10 Mrs. Lytton-Bulwer, the
noyeisLs mother, o lady who was reVered
and honored by all who knew her; aud IL is
biuted that she had something to do with The
M terms of the young couple. Lady Stepney,
an author Of reputation, and lady OF spot,
less character, is numerically salirlzed, an0
Lord Melbourne la treated with as short g
courtesy. .-
The sting of the book was in the unques
tionaole ability, and 1t was long the talk o.
| the town and the club. Bulwer, with rare
good sense, refused 10 aDewer It; nor ls there
a trace of q caricature OF his vile TO be founo
| In any of his subsequent novels. But Lady
| BulWer did not rest her case with "Cheve
lew For ;ears after lls appearance she Wat
active In denounciDg her husband; endeavor
Ing to cast ridicule upon his works, and u
defeat his political aspirations. Within tht
memory of men not yet In their prime, snt
appeared al the county Town OF Herts on elec
lion day. and did all that a handsome, spirn;es
and brighL-Witted woman could do TO put nl 10
at the bottom of the poll, but the power VI
Knebworth PARK was loo much LOT heT. u,.,
Bulwer throughout bore these ATTACKS Will
the dignity of silence, and 1t ls put lust " sal
that his friends were all along conVlnceu tna
| LADY RnIwpr's more serious charges were un
| founded. and That the separation was Drongn
about bv her own in6rmities OF temper. inis
| ill.assorted union resulted IN lne Dlrtns OF
son and daughter. The daughter, alter naVlnl
grown to a graceful and lovely maidenhood
son lives 10 bear hIs lather'S title and ancien
estate, and to proloDg the literary tame of th'
Lyttons by the production of such poems o.
.Lucille.n For some time alter the separation
the children remained with the mother; sub
sequently-how Ia not publicly known
they were transferred to the fathers house
hold.
| The blacksmtth's shop on the plantation
| of Mr.. John 8. Richardson, iour miles lrol
Sumter, was burned on the l4Ih Instant