Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-04-04
For the Sentinel.
A Sketch Of Byron.

A lincal descendant Of the Norman
invaders and of Robert Bruce, Byron
was through the proaigacy of his father
born not only poor, but without the
proper and natural guardian for his early
years. His mother, too, though form
ing passionate love for him, lacked
judgment to direct his childish footsteps
and instil correct and useful principles.
Thus it was that not till he entered up-
on his estate and became lord at the
age of ten, did he begin to enjoy any
facilities for the development of bis re-
markable mind. His precocity was ter
ribly annoying to the tutors and instruc-
tors who were charged with his youth
full training, though he gave many ex-
amples of the greatest good sense and
generosity. 1t is probable that he
''scribbledY poetry at an early age, but
It was not until the publication Of bis
English Bards and Scotch Reviewers
that he achieved any notoriety. That
satire. however, not only silenced his
critics, but placed him in the foremost
ranks of the literary celebrities of his
generation. Taking bis position in the
government at an carly age, he soon be-
came disguised with the incipient funk
eyism of court customs and left England
for Italy where some Of bis most extraor-
binary conceptions we're wrought out.
He spent the greater part of bis brill
liant but short career away from Eng
land and died at last, in the primo of his
youth, while engaged in an effort to Sc
cure the freedom Of Greece. Few more
striking proofs Of the adage. "extremes
meet" are to be found than is seen 10 the
character of Byron. Strength and weak
ness. virtue and vice, gayety and sullen-
ness, stiffness and good sense, the strong
est pride and the most morbid sensitive
ness, were blended in his nature, not
harmonious but making perpetual COM
motion. and to this fact together with
bis deformity is probably attributable the
air Of gloom and ennui which pervades
most of his writings. With the excep-
ton of this dcformity Byron was re-
markably handsome, but he seemed to
feel this detect acutely. cutting himself
off from society and making few friends,
the best Of whom he considered his COL
lego mate and almost lifelong compan-
ion, John Hobhouse. Byron,s great
susceptibility Of attachment to women
led him into an an early and extremely
unfortunate marriage, which. it is moro
than likely, was the cause of the ill-dis-
guised contempt he always thereafter
manifested for women, both in bis man.
ncrs aud bis writings. lie afterwards,
however, met woman Tin Italy) for
whom he conceived the greatest respect
and admiration, who reciprocated his
feelings. and who, however ill-advised
their connection was, at least rescued
him from the career Of dissipation into
which he had plunged.
IL would be difficult 10 decide which
Of Byron's compositions is the most beau
tiful "Chlde Harold" is commonly
perhaps justly. to be the lofti-
'st conception. but every line he ever
'enncd is so sublime, so fraught with
imple truth, so full Of the grandest i'm
gerry, and the most exquisite melody
hat criticism drops its pen aud stands in
ilcnt awe and wonder. Hc has takon
lis place, beyond the possibility Of doubt,
q the greatest exponent Of the horid
chool of poetry who ever lived. Byron's
ersonal character has been furiously as
allied, and its impurity given as rea-
On that his writings should be cast into
bscurity. Whether this is an argument
r not, every one is nj liberty 10 decide
'r himself. Certain il is. however. that
Iyron's name will live long after those
his defamers shall have been forgot
10. In "Childs Harold" he has reared
monument To bis own glory which will
land perfect when marble piles and ef-
gies shall have sunk into indistinguish-
bic ruin. jerry MANDER.