The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-02-03

poet Light affections have ba. little sym.
/ PsVey Tor prot3und sentiments, which. even
when aware of weakness a,tl l,fec,s l., .,,s
beloved object, consider them ss an ,ins,r,,-
| ity, worthy of tender care ana arfen,;o,,
Byron soon discovered that Mariana wa
both violent and jealous. One dav. wbilr
be was speaking to the sisterin-law Of Ma
rlana, the latter came IN and gave a bIaw To
the poor girl Another time she sold 4
jewel which Byron had given her, and
which he purchased again. in order 10 pre-.
sent il TO her second time Love OF this
kind is but OF short duration, vet uctl,ing
! is so Unsuitable as pure love. Sensnal.ty IS
neither satisfying nor constant Pleasure,
and pleasure only, means disgust and weagi.
ness. In the purity aud devotion Of real
affection there is the assurance of eternal
love. The abyss Of the heart can be filled
only with the infinite; but the vorcity Of
low desires is quickly over. Byron soon
leit tne house and the lady, and went u re-
SIDE In the Palace Moncenigss, about the
middle of the Grand Canal oi Veaice.
This was the scene of the adventures ot
Margherita Cogni, the we'll known Venetian
oaNer. There are some who hsxe tlling ng,aarst
uer TO the Fornarina; Out between the only
love OF Raphael (or at least the preferred
love) and this fancy of few days-bctween
that fountain of inspiration and this source
OF dlsgust-there was an Immense differ
ance. In Venice there are. people of the
lower class Who sell oysters in the market,
and who, nevertheless, like To have their
ears soothed by the Italian translation of
the poet, and to listen to stories of his life.
Margherita was woman of the people, ia
the bad sense of the word a woman who
COnl6
customed TO tyranniZe over her family almost
IN public, who concealed neither fold of
her soul nor throb OF her heart, and CON
sequently did not trouble herself to put any
restraint upon her actions.
Lord Byron sought with much anxiety a
burial-place among those lovely islands.
Floating along in his gOndola, he went
among the Venetian Archipelago 10 choose
spot where to plant willow tree, of which
the branches, dropping over the waters,
should be shadow over his tomb, erected
under the azure sky of the south, close TO
the Adriatic. But, as If wishing to hasten
his reposc in the dreamless bed, he gave
himself up to the study of different races,
to the plastic art, TO the Intoxicating sons
of the carnival, to orgies without intermis-
sion, often turning away weary from a festi-
val, he wandered among the tofnbs and met
Margherita who at this time exercised much
influence on his life.
The boiling Venetian blood flowed In her
veins, and excited her passions. Size was
tall, shoulders broad, and her arms robust;
her face was han isome and her head vulgar;
her eyes seemed to consume like a flaming
fire. She loved almost to folly, but was
jealous to madness She caressed Lord BY
ron, and she maltrested him. She met him
with the smile of an angel, and she struck
her nails into him with the ferocty of n
tigress. The golden pin with which she
confined her hair served her for stiIetto.
She was woman to bring forth race III
gladiators. She might have wrestled with
any vigorous Englishman, and have won the
victory. Her peculiar eloquence was inter-
larded with shameful expressions. Her
ideas were no clearer than those OF a primi-
tive savage. Her passions were us ardent
as giant volcano in eruption. Her charac-
acter was formed by the wind of the la
goons, and her soul was opened by the
southern sun; there was something grand in
her whole being, although it was a brutal
grandeur. In the Palazzo Moncenigo byron
had collected horses, numbers Of cats and
dogs, parrots and all kinds of birds; and
this woman-like wild Eve in strange
paradise, angry with Adam, intoxicated
with wine and pleasure.
But Notwithstanding her ferocity, Byron
deceived her. One day there was terrible
uproar The parrots uttered indescribablc
noises, the cats mewed, the dogs barked,
the furniture flew in pieces, the Venetian
mir ors strewed with rain OF little crystals
the pavement OF the palace--everything was
IN commotion, as If struck by a hurricane
or shaken by an earthquake. 1t was caused
by Margherta, who had encountered d rival,
and had with her a terrible battle, which
was sustained on both sides with viror and
heroism. Imagine the fascination exercised
by that powerful nature in the wasted frame
of the poet, and his deep disgust Her
glance put new fire in the blood of those.
almost exhausted veins. Her violence and
her unexpected blows pleased hlm like
food tasted for the first time. He laughed
at the impassioned letters, written by a
public scrivener for charge of twelve sous
apiece, and dictated by the bakers wife on
her return to the market with her basket on
her head.
One night, at masked bali Lord Byron
gave his arm to a lady of rcspectabiIity,
Signora Contarini; he was covered by a
black domino, ana quite concealed by his
mask. Margherita arrived, insulted the
lady, and loudly voc;ferating snatched away
his mask. On another occasion she quar-
relied with her husband, whose flesh she
tore with her sharp nails. In the middle of
the night loud knocking was heard at the
door OF Byron's house, whp every one was
sleeping; at the same time Margherita's hus-
band appeared and demanded his wife. The
police interfered, and the woman was
brought back by force to her forsaken home.
But she soon left it again, and took refuge
In the Palazzo Moncenigo with her lover.
There she assumed the command OF the
household, but she exercised her power In q
most tyrannical manner. She tried 20 copy
the mien OF great lady-wore a splendid
dress, Persian hat, costly jewels, Flemish
lace, and the train of princess And in
this costume, and wearing gloves, which in
commoded her, she would catch up stout
stick, and flinging out her arms, apply il
all around, from the dogs TO the servants.
1t was wonderful that she made an excep-
tion in favor Of the master, though nothing
prevented her from reviling him.