The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-28
THE BYRON MEMORIAL.
England'S National Honor to the Mem
DRY Of The Poet.
TING IN LONDON
Disraeli's Tribute to the Author
of "Childe Harold"
From the London Times, July III

yesterday afternoon large and mnuenual
meeting was neld az Wills Rooms. TO consider
and determine what means should be taken to
found a national memorial OF Lord Byron. the IL
lustrious poet. MIR. Disraen was called TO the
chair, and among others present were the Earl OF
halmeshury, tue Earl OF Loveace the Earl OF
Bradford, the Earl or Rosslyn, Earl Sranhope,
Lord Houghton, Lord Claud Hamilton, n. p, Wis
count Sidmouth, General Sir william Codrlngton.
Archdeacon Trollope, SIR Walter Stirling Sir
Reginald Graham, Mr.. Baltic Coehrane M. p,
Colonel Gourley. M. r., Mr.. Edward Trelawney,
SIR. Matthew Arnold, General James Grant
Wilson, OF New York, Mr.. Frederick Locker ana
many other persons OF note.
The large hall OF the building was crowded to
excess
MR.. DIsRAELI's SPEECH.
Mr. Disraer, on rising to open the proce edings
was loudly cneered. He said -"Ladies and Gen.
clement am happy 70 meet for the hrst time the
members OF the committee who have before con-
suited on the subject which will engage our atten
lion to-day But, before we do so, wish TO take
this opportunity OF attempting to Draw your
minds TO the contemplation OF the real object
which we have before US. In the twelfth year OF
this century q poem was published by young
man who instantly commanded the sympathies OF
the nation. There is no instance In literary rec
ords OF success so sudden and 30 lasting. 10
use MS own words, he ''awOke one morning and
found himself famous.r From that time for
twelve years he poured on; series OF complete
inventions, which arc not equalled TO- their
number and their consistency OF purpose
In tho literature OF any country. an
cient or modern. (Cneers.) Admirable for
many qualities, for their picturesqueness,
their wit, their passion-they are most dstln-
guished oY their power or expression and by the
sublime energy OF their imagination. (Cneers.l
And then, alter these twelve years. he died. He
died, say, In the fulness or his fame, having en-
joyed In his lifetime a degree OF celebrity which
has never fallen 20 the lot OF any other literary
man-not only admired In his own country, but
reyerenced aRd adored IN Europe. (Cneers.)
How is It, then, that. alter half century has
elapsed, we are met here for the nrst time In pub
hc meeting 70 devise some means OF q national
expression or admiration and gratitude TO quail
tiles so transcendent7 Ii has been SAID as some
reason for this strange and dark neglect that tho
private character or this poet was not as illus
trous as his puDlic one. When half a century has
elapsed private character Is scarcely an element
character IL may be SAID that It was ambiguous,
and that ol II LITTLE Is clearly known; and there Is
no man in this room-aye. l wonld say even In !
this coun ry-tnat upon that subject presume |
TO give a definite and precise opinion. Loud |
cneers.l But then it was said, as another ex- |
morality, and that he INDUCED in too |
which the human mind can never penetrate, |
but which Ii Is organlcally formed 10 reverence. |
And yet IL must be remembered that he was
born In an age OF contracted sympatnIes ana re- !
ssricted thought, and mat much when he then |
questioned has since been surrendered Chesrs) |
Ii he fell. which ne undoubtedly did, into many
erroneous conclusions upon divine SUBJECTS tt !
may be urged Tor him that he was very young. 1 |
remem Ger once Lord Lyndnurst discussing the |
character ana ca eer Of Mr.. Canning, and then |
asking some one VINO was present what was the
tod that ne died at the age OF hny-slx. "Wnat." |
SAID Lord Lyndnurst, then advanced in lie, but
hlty-sIx Why. he was a mere boy.n "a laugn.J
But we must rememssr that when Byron died
he was twenty years younger than Mr.. Canning,
and IN any sDeculstions upon ms character aud !
career this element IN that wonderful character
and marvellous career should never be omitted.
1t should always oe remembered. | say that we
are Specializing on the lie oil one who, ike those
ing these ffsy years that have elapsed and our.
ing which no public meeting has ever been
caled 10 rscoSnlle ms merits, eaorns OF
abilities, and ultimately even TO deny mis- genius
(Cheersl No one Wno has travelled in Greece
can ever question for moment the place oil Byron
poet OF tue highest class. he has Impressed
his mind on that country more than anI poet
who has existed since Homer. lCneers.l There
Ia Eot a cape, = promontOry, OF column that ne
has not touched With tne IRE or surfused with the
Italian residence you viii mt that LAZY was -
him a source OF scarcely inferior inspiration. But
the last and greatest OF his works aces not de-
pend upon local interest. IL will remain, as II Is
now recognized, an uneXampled picture Of human
nature ana triumphant EFFORT OF the Engllsa
tongue. Cheers) we are met here, then, to-
at last " 90 some ustlce 10 one OF tine great
est OF Engand's sons. lCheersl WHAT form Jour
feelings should take II VIII DC Tor you 10 decide.
You Know, and you Will know more as taese
proceedings continue, what has been attempted.
can unanectedly apologize Tor not having taken
any part In the previous proceedings. Nv lie Is
y busy and an urgent one, and could only lend 10
the committee the depth or nv sympathy.
(Cheers) But when saw In the movement re-
speeding tablet that II was sanctioned Dy the
presence ana the aguve interpostlOn Of one VINO
had the nearest and proudest Claim 10 interpOss
in such q Dusiness--I mean the son-ln-law OF Lord
Was my companion in thai ALBANIA which ByrSn
celeDrated-l felt that II was under tue influence
OF Kindly and able counsels. For myself though
! presume not to dictate to TINS assembly what
iOi IN their feelings should assume In this respect
Will express my individual desire TO see In some
public place semblance OF this great spirit, SO
! that the English people when they pass SHAH re-
cognlze one OF the greatest masters Of the English
! language" loud cheers.)
! EARL STANHoPE's SPEECH.
Earl stanhope, upon whom the Chairman called.
said tnat IN moving the resolution which mad Deen
| placed In his hands he was ne only
pressed the unanimous feelings OF every Que pres
ent when he said that they were extremely Craze.
ful TO tie Prime Minister for having so Kindly
! joined them upon that most interesting occasion.
That he should nave WITHDRAWN himself for a brief
intelval from the ANXIOUS cares OF state ana from
/ his arduous and continuous abors In the House
OF Commons was IN Itself no slight tribute 10 the
have been expected from the brilliant author OF
''Venetla" tOheers.) The resolution which he
was asked to submit TO the meeting ran thus-
That appeal be made TO the public for funds assist
Syns out the p,9PSs , 81 the Byron hmG nd
in some conspicuous place IN the metropolis
He beheved that proposition would express the
feelings OF tnem all and that they might safely
leave the details 70 the judgment ana good taste
OF the COMMITTEES, In the hope, as Mr.. Dlsraei ie-
licitously said, that before long "a semolance OF
that great spiritu might be seen in some notable
ana conspicuous spot in Engand's capital. Ne
hoped they would be unanimous In that propossL
The 1rst idea, which mad now been Withdrawn,
was to raise a fund for the erection OF a national
memorial OF the poet IN HucEnall Torkard church,
where he lay buried. He thought that Is had not
been sufficiently borne In mind that there already
existed in that church monument to Lord BY
ron, erected by the Hon. Mrs. LeIgn, his sister,
and he believed he right In saying that no
two monuments TO the same person ever found
place In the same cnurch. Besides no monu-
ment Ia remote aud small village church
could be appropriately described as
tfonal memorial or the poet. (Cheersl
They desired that q statue OF LORD Byron
should be raised IN some conspicuous place In the
metropolis to arrest the attention and excite the
reverence OF all who passed by, and such memo
rial would, he thought, be the best sui ed to the
object they had in view. In Byron's own words,
IN "Ihe Gaour" IL might be said hereafter
.-.l..A u