Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-08
The Byron Scandal.

Thomas Moore's most scandalOus breach of
faith and trust in the burning of Lord Byron's
"Memoirs'' instead OF publishing them, can
never be forgotten nor forgiven. They were en-
trusted to him by the noble poet, "a a vindica-
ton of his name and fame in regard to the do
nestle difficulties resulting in his separation
from his wife. The destruction of these 'tMe-
moirs' has been the more regretted, since, as
withered, demented, old crone, Lady Byron
poured her filthy balderdash into the ear of Mrs.
Stowe, who had the unfeminine audacity,
and indiscretion to give her seniie rawlings to the
world. In this act Mrs. Stowe did despite to
her character as a just, pure-minded wo-
man. Her reverence for her own sex failed her,
and in her CHASTITY attempt, the authority of
a Jealous, imbecile old woman to blight the
fame of Byron and his sister, she has irreversi-
bly, soiled her own. Many just and charitable
perseu withheld belief in the Yile charges
against Byron and his sister Augusta, till Ger
tain letters known to exist and believed to con-
tain decisive evidence of facts, might be pub
lished. collection of such is now before the
public. The most important letters have never
been published before this summer. The series
opens with letters that passed between Lady
Byron and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Augusta
Leigh, covering the period froua the time of
Lord and Lady Byron. Then comes letter
from Lady Byron to her husband and his final
one TO her. These are followed by letters from
Mrs. Leigh to Mr.. Wilmot Horton, her friend
and adviser, and from Lady Byron TO the Hon.
Mrs. q. Lamb. The concluding letters OF the
collection passed between Lady Byron and Mrs.
Leigh, in part at the time Of the appointment Of
trustee for the latter and in part at the time of
their final interview more than twenty years
later
The particular value OF this series of letters
rests in the light thrown upon the characters OF
Lady Byron and Mrs. Leigh III their acquaint-
ance and correspondence with each other; for IL
is with regard to them that we have been most
in the dark. In the case of Mrs. Leigh we have
lacked the testimony Of yindication; IN the case
/ of Lady Byron we have been ignorant Of the
cause of her late developed antipathy to her sis
! ter-in-law. In these letters we ind the facts
! that have been wanting. A few quotations will
show what they are. Just before the separation
I of Lord and Lady Byron, the latter writes to
/ her sister-in-law:
''No. If all the world had told me you were
doing me an injury, ought not TO have believed
1t. My chief feeling, therefore. IN relation to
you and myself must be that have wronged
! you, and that you never nronged mo-
| In Lord Byron's last letter tn 5 wife ne says:
'Be kind to her Mrs. Leigh, for she has
never spoken acted toward you
but as your friend.' Lady Byron writes to her
sster-in-law, just before the az tat On in regard
to the selection Of trustee: ''Can my advice
or sympathy afford You any comfort" and in
anothers letter. $50 be kind still to Augusta has
been my constant endeayor." One of Lady By.
ron's jealous disposition oould not have been
kind, could not have extended sympathy, il she
had believed, up to the time of the trustee con-
troversy, all that she poured into the ears of
scandal seekers when an old WOMAN.
| What then was the cause OF the changed The
bitter feminine controversy over the appoint
| ment OF n trustee in which eaoh thought the
oil daI tbah asyfu ~
| arrangement shat left Lady Byron 81 trisndlsss
and alone il the world that a constant brooding
and detection gradually stirred up belief in
rumors she hsd before rejeo.ed, till shs finally
came to regard Mrs. Leigh as the cause of her
misery, and TO heap upon herthe scaadalous
chsrses thst the charitable word has long
since tired OF. Bus through this series of let
tors we zee Mrs. Leigh acting the part of the
! ltvmg sister and the tue sis,er-;r-iav. The
| last meeting of Lady Byron and Mrs Leigh
III 1851, Mt Rei,,sts, midway between their re-
spectlve re idence ut Brighton and London,
though sad II it, associations Of past Friendship,
oil age and long misunderstanding, did nos
clear tn cio1d from lady Byron's eye To
Mrs. LelGh's communication she answered with
aco'o is thst all" Let q quotstion from the
| last letter OF the series speak In Mrs Leigh's
vindlcatian, and forever put an end 10 the impu-
tatioas LAST upon her fonor:
ally great wish for sn interview with you
a
once more IN thus world. and still more to have
the means of convincing You that accusations
which had reasons 70 believe had been brought
agairst Ine 10 You were unfounded: and at this
II only from the recollection OF the affection
that once suosisted between Us, yea cannot b.
SURPRISED had not, and never implied that
had, anything to reveal to you with which Won
were not previously acquainted on sny other
subject. Nor can at all express to you the re-
grst l have felt ever since those words escapsd
you, showing that you imagined hsd 'euoour
aged bitterness OF feeling in Lord Byron to
ward you / can solennlv declare as IL i
were my esth or NY death, bed that never
did so il aay one instance, bat that invarisblv
did the contrary. 1 have letters from him and
Of rny own 10 him land returned to me sitter his
death), which would bear cut this assertion, and
l am ready at thi. or any other moment to make
the most solemn ssservstioa of this, IN any way
that you can devise"