The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-05-04
ByrOn's Last Effort.

So long as time continues TO unfold his
various and instructive scroll, will the
genius of Byron enchain the sympathies
of all who possess intellccrs capable Of
appreciating the grandeur o. his muse and
the towering magnifcence Of his imagery
Alas that while this remains the case,
there must ever likewise remain world
wide sorrow that the dark spectre Of his
domestic suffering should so constantly
arise to cast funerea gloom over all
otherwise so bright 10 his being and his
genius
In 1922 Lord Byron was in Italy
Surfeited with pleasure and renowD, he
yet wandered about from place to place,
broken hearted and hopeless exile.
Still so young, so handsome, and SO brim.
full Of the limpid waters Of Castalia. there
was yet one person living who could have
rekindled hope in his throbbing bosom
and restored him with matured powers to
himself aud the world That person was
Lady Byron
In the winter of ls22- }, she also went
to Italy, to spend the season at the
fashionable resort of Nice, then part Of
the Italian dominions She Travelled in.
cognito, and her journeys aud abiding.
places while on the continent were known
only to few of her intimate ucquant.
ances. The poet, however, through some
one Of his numerous friends, heard of her
arrival at Nice. His great heart bounded
with renewed hope. His mighty spirit,
SO seldom bowed. bent with the desire to
receive once more the embraces OF his
family and to be thenceiorward their
faithful protector and companion.
Years had passed since the poet and
his wife had seen each other, and the
heart of Byron was effectuaIy softened,
tie had realized the force of the touching
words Absence makes the heart grow
fonder." Who can picture the hopes and
fears which racked the mind of Byron at
this period Did he fancy that Lady
Byron, us might easily have been imagin.
ed, had come to Italy to increase the
chances of meeting with him, and of et-
J fecting reconciliation between them,
which would forever have redounded to
the honor of her nature and proclaimed
the tenderness of her disposition Did
he impulsively conclude that if he could
once more meet and speak confdentially
with her. all would yet be well? Did
he behold visions, in the future, of a
happy home and a loving family crown.
ing the glory OF mighty fame ?
Whatever were his thoughts, hopes or
fears, he resolved to see her. and il pos.
slhle surprise her into the opportunity OF
reconciliation And now, casting away
every feeling Of pride, and every fear
that might have seemed an impediment
to his honorable and noble design, he
fastened to Nice, evidently with this one
thought dwarfng all Others in bis ardent
nature.
Arriving at the hotel where Lady BY.
ron was domiciled, his plans were soon
matured and all who are familiar with
the peculiarities Of the poets nature, will
perceive how highly characteristic they
we're of his disposition, however out of the
common order-as indeed was not he un.
der all circumstances and always? He
resolved to surprise her by suddenly ap.
pearing before her in livery similar tc
that Of the servant who waited upon her
No doubt he presumed that such tempo
rarily assumed humiliation, and the un
conquerable desire to meet her which il
must evidence, would have the effect Of
materially influencing her favorably to-
ward him, especially when Joined to the
magnetic power Of his presence and the
eloquence Of his address The seque
sadly proved that by following these gen
erous and impetuous impulses, no had
wholly miscalculated the result as well a,
the subject of the effort.
Having procured suit Of livery and
bribed the chief servant of the hotel tc
allow him to take the place OF the attend
ant who answered Lady Byron's bell
when she next rang it he quickly appear
ed before her. As may be supposed, SHE
was amazed-thunderstruck- alas
unrelenting as ever Perceiving that he
was recognized, Byron hastily expressed
his joy at seeing her, begged her forgive
ness, promised in the future to atone fol
all the faults OF the past, and at last i'm
plored that she would speak to him, il
only one single word. His appeal, how
ever, was lost-worse than idle. I'm
moved as marble statue, her features