The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-13
AsssAer heck About Dyros.

| because In some plocCS IL may % considered
mora authentic.
AsSsAsr heck About byron.
The book bearing the ad captandum title OF
The Real Lord Bp'on BY john CoRpY JEArrRE-
SON ". II. Osgood 4 Col will dIsappoint those
who look for now evidence relating to the con-
troversy which excited SO much attention
about twelve years ago. We have not been abo
to discover single now fact Of any Significance
In these i've hundred pages. Nor Ia there any
novelty In the views which the author
has taken Of familiar circumstances or
OF obscure Incidents in the poets ca
reer. II any OF his comments and concu-
sions may be properly described as new.
they arc unimportant. while such OF his deduc-
tons as would materially influence our judg-
mont. IL We could adopt them. have been
drawn by other students OF his subjects
life II this. indeed. be the real Lord By
ron that is here depicted. the portrait
can in no sense be termed a revelation. for
every one Of the Ineamcnts has been mnde IA.
milar by preceding biogrnphers. 1t Is true
that there Ia q vast amount Of inadvertsnt er-
ror and designed Justification among the in
Vulnerable sketches and memoranda which
have found their way Into print during the
Inst half century. but II Is also true that there
| Is at least ono critical and biographical csti-
mate OF Byron-that by Eze-whose general
accuracy and adequacy are indisputable. We
observe. indeed. that the merit OF ElZes work
is acknowledged BY Mr.. JenfTreson. who. ar-
parently docs not perceive that this unnvoid.
able concession deprives his own book OF any
sufficient pretext for existence.
but while this now biography cannot be said
to add ANYTHING Of moment to tho materials
already accessible. and Is unlikely to modify
Onintnn NJ Ms nl,.a .lnto "a
with the subject. and whilo tho writer II lmost
everywhere neglects to support his assertions
BY citing chapter and verso for his authorities
no has made an interesting narrative which
wiz S'"'"S s"e euraosAtv and Derhaps satisfy
the judgment OF those numerous rea,l,rs ~,
do not care to seek their knowledge OF pyIS
At rst hand No. who haze sa Tine nor dIsr
Of conflicting testimony. From tho facts scat.
tered through n biographical and controversial!
literature. which literally comprehends thou
sands OF volumes. Mr.. Jcafrreson has brought
together great many we'll authenticated and
telling incidents. md has woven tn m into n CO.
hcrcnt story which. from tho first page to the
last. controls attention. and may therefore In,
pronounced. from u purely technical point OF
view. q crsditablo piece o. bookmnking. The
condensation and arrangement OF the mate
rails have been skiifully performed nnd the
dicton. although somewhat slovenly. Is fluent
and vivacious.
II his only object had been to present n road.
able com pilatiOn OF tho facts and conclusions
SGT forth by otler bographers. apoiogists. or
censors Mr.. Jeafrreson would be held to have
succeeded: but. II his professions are sincere.
he entered upon his task with two aims neither
Of which has been fulfilled. He hoped. in the
first place. to demonstrate that Lord Byron
had besn. upon the whole. more sinncd against
than SHINING and was In his private character
and life lovable. IL not an admirable, person
and secondly. that the monstrous charge.
of which Lady Byron herself was tho
author. but Of which Mrs. Stowe was the
wanton divulger. In absolutely incom patible
with facts impregnably established, and
therefore uncomfortable. As regards the forn,er
purpose. VIC must confess our inability to dis
cover what Mr. JoafYreson's opinion OF Byron
really Is, for the views taken OF his character
and conduct in different parts OF this narrative
seem irreconcilable. H. as no sometimes lends
rs to infer. tho balance OF his mind inclincs
toward combination. sympathy. and approval
he Ia lnmentably deficient In the powers OF
p"rsuasion. for the Impression left upon the
readers mind ia ono Of profound and violent
detestation. No doubt the picture he has
drawn Is unshadowed By the horror in
spired by Mrs. Stoves appalling accusation.
but 1t provokes loathing and contempt by
its disclosures OF the malignant. baso shabby.
and offensive traits which. as Byron grew older.
stiiiod the short-lived impulses Of youth and
tainted with the cankor Of q soullcss and heart-
less eRoism nearly every act and aspect. almost
every word. thought. and feeling. OF his private
life. Ofcourss. Byron was greut artist and re-.
tanned to the last tho characteristic quality Of
the artistic nature. tho power OF mental trans
migration OF temporarily entering through the
imagination into moods and aspirations to
which his normal existence was q stranger
and Of reproducing the thoughts md sentiments
OWNED or experienced amid those flights of
fancy or frances Of the intellect In language so
apt and luminous as to constitute a bsnutsous
and impsrishable embodiment. But II there
were times when the poet sung from an almost
celestial elevation, there were other times even
In his early years. when no borrowed the pen OF
Mrphistophelos. 1t became moro and more
difficult for his genius to mount. even In trun-
silent soarings. out Of the dense and fetid at
mosphere in which his life Was passed; It be-
came moro and more impracticable to divorce,
even for short saIlies and ntful dreams. the
artist from the man. 1t Is an impressive proof
OF the repugnsnce and disgust which. although
unconicssed and perhaps undetected. are In
evltnby engcndcrcd by II thorough study Of
Byron's ignoblo and unsavory life. that o, on
Mr.. Jcafrreson. who sets out with the purpose
OF making us think better OF his subject, and
whose pages arc thicky sown with complacent
extenuation and solioitous apology has nctu-
ally excited moro intense aversion and acrd
scorn than were aroused by Elzes sober and
judicin! inquiry.
We need not say that ninety.nine out OF
every hundred render. who iake up this vol
ume will be moved chiefly by Il desire to learn
what tho writer Inns to say abo,t the vehement
controversy raised on both sidtts Of the Atlantic
by Mrs. Stoves imputation. lMr. JeafIreson,
indeed. processes to consider tho controversy
settled. and he nowhere dosiIIjatcs. We believe.
the precise gravamen OF tho charge: but n
large part OF his book is devoted to the discus
sion OF tho causes which led to the separation
OF Lady Byron from nor husband. and 1t Ia. as
We have said cardinal aim Of the whole mar
rstive to provo that tho accusation 10 abso-
lutely Incompatible With undisputed facts.
VI