The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-28
COMMENT BY THE PRESS.
rFrom the I.opdon Times. Julv n

From the London Times, July III
Mr.. Disraei has found time, at the busiest
perod of the session, TO take the chair at meet
ing called TO devise . national memorial OF Lord
Byron. The occasion was inspirtlng the audi
ence was large ana sympathetic, the speaker had
q natural inclination to his subject ana the speech
was animated and effective. Mr.. DIsraeli grew up
TO manhood during the full blaze OF that marvel
lous reputation which now, after a lapse OF nfty
years, still Affects MA Imagination. As a clever
boy he must have read the most famous works OF
the poet they came forth iron the press
must remember the astonishment OF the
world at the third and fourth cantes or
"Chide Harold" the storm OF criticism
raised by s'Don Juan,n the bitter discussions
Tor years we're as much talked about as the battle
OF Waterloo, He had felt tue thrill winch Byron's
Ill 10 the liberation OF Greece sent through Euro
pean society, and, like the rest OF his contempt
raries, ne mournei over The poets untimely
grave. one oil Mr. Dlsraelis early novels con-
talns an ideal portrait OF hin wne was the hero
Of that generation, and the speech or yesterday
bears witness that his Admiration las not been
diminished b. time. Indeed, the literary attach
ments OF youth are almost always abiding. In
the writings or other utterances men past mid
ole age we can readily t. ace how much they have
been afiected by what they have read before
they were nve-and-twenty, and how little by
what has been subsequently, produced. Alter
certain period they cease to receive new in-
nuences IN general literature. II they are men
OF business, they hardly read at all II they are
drawn to some intellectual pursuit. they attach
themselves more and more closely to IL, sinking
come to regard the new literary types with In
difference or dlstate BY virtue OF this tendency,
AZ well as mis- own mental qualities, Mr. Dlsraeh
IS especially lifted to stand forth the represent
atve OF Byron. We knew, as, indeed, we shonld
guess ropa his character, mat he Is an enthu-
! equally lntenigible, tnat ne has not been moved
60 much ympatnv with the writers or
IN our own time. Mr.. D.sraeli belongs
TO the old generation {; put though
this may, in the opinion OF some, dIsqualily him
/ for sitting IN Judgment on men who we're unborn
when ne took delight in new volume OF poems,
OF Byron's claims, since he can bear personal Wit
! ness TO the aseendency which the poet exercised
over his contemporares and the influences
which be transmitted 10 younger men.
The proposal when now hnds favor Is to erect 0
statue OF Lord Byron in London by public sun
scription as q national memorial IL was orlgt-
naliy intended Ia place mon ument over hrs grave
/ or Ia the church wheTe ne was buried; but oDjec-
lions 10 thls project were entertained by some
members OF the poets family, aud also By
section OF nis admirers, VINO thought
sa OF sDt. sso,d' and the SUB
respected. Tue present design rs satisfactory TO
Byron's family, II We may Judge from the pres
lac, We think, Will be equally grained oy the
change. We have now only TO judge
whether we VIII support proposal to honor tae
most eminent poet genius when this country has
produced during tue present or she preceding CEN
fury. That this rank Will be conceded TO Byron can
now hardly be matter OF doubt. That reaction
which 50 often follows after excessive celebrity,
anu WnlCn tne peculiar character OF byf0n's
! poetry tended 10 enhance, has done It's worst and
rs passing away. successive oarus have been
allied asoye ais throne 0J critics and their cote-
| ries; the versihed PHILOSOPHY OF wordsworth bore
sway ny 10 a lew years snce, and now we have
equal laudatlons Of something which one would
never kno" 70 be verse at all unless II were
the beRlpning u eacn-sonething uncoutn
! ard OBSCURE. without rhythm, metre or
melody, "a chorus Of poetasiers." says
| Mr.. Dlsraei, nave a. ceasngy worked 10 decry
his abilities, ana ultlinateiy even TO deny his
genius" But the works OF ByroH have stllL as ihey
| had on thelr nrst appearance, tnat broad pOpu-
| larIty which Is the most certain innIoatlon OF
permanent lane and IL Il remarkable that IN
! America byron Is stll more Ia the ascendant. II
was common 70 MS time sometimes petrays itse Z
In bis poetry, the defect IL compensated by a
! wealth aud vlgor OF diction unsurpassed by any
! bngnsh poet by passion. tenderness, p4taOs,
humor, eacn assumed win marvellous versatility
and by that quality without when all Others are
valn-a harmonious ana exquisite versincaton.
Inc world was not deceived when n hailea him
as the greatest living pUetn oy q spontaneous
homage more than sixty years ago. and We
now asked 10 give this celebrity material form.
HIS DELIGHT ~ HUMAN FREEDOM.
| . FROM the London News, July Ill
| mr; ma.,he" Arnold, ia poem OF deep feeling,
mas described heine as living embodiment Of
the lronlcal smile OF the Zeitgsist the spirit OF
the time. Byron was In the same way an near
nau0n Of us passionate delight in freedom and "a
the memory ui sac ancient liberty oil Greece aud
Rome. The habitual mockerv with which he
laughed at the compromises and nan measures
OF MS own age OF Shaky relormatons became
sincere aud eloquent passion when ne turned IN
tnougnt 10 tue memory OF the Old repushos.
"InsouRn MIN" as Lord Lovelace truly sad.
anu tnrOugh the IRE and energy OF nlh
appeal TO the nauves or tho two pcnlnsulas
nave those nations, after long centuries OF opIres
SION and suDjection, emerged into tnat freedom
and regalned that liberty OF which ne was the
precursor among them.n, This was she practical
result OF Byron's work and tnia result was almost
the laas slde OF mia influence 20 strike men IN
England. Byron's powerful appeal had - snare
In the ORTIZ OF that romantic school OF utarAture