The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-24

By whom genius most naturally desired
20 be admired and cherished" To Nor
rift about the same date. Scott writes
II AN vsry sorry for what haa taken
place between Lord Byron and hi,
lady, for was in great hopes that the com.
fort Of domestic society might tame the way.
ward irreRularity Of mind which H. unfortu.
nately for its owner connected with such splen-
did talents. Ihave known Lord Byron do very
great and generous things. and would have
| been most happy to ind that he had adopted
other and more settled habits. But should
be afraid that Il IL hardly 10 be hoped for now.
| for the very circum stan Of Scldt which have
| Attende' the separation will prevent them ever
uniting again For such breaches made MP
are like china dish clasped. II has an APP
pearance OF union. but has lost It's value. and
must always be precarious and insecure"
Much later in the same year Scott writes
again TO Joanna Baillis. who had become great
friend OF Lady Byron. An object still Of In
terest." Scott writes, of interest tempered
with pity and disapprobation. r. Lord Byron.
whose present situation seems to rival all
that ever has been said and sunR Of the
misfortune OF a too irritable imagi in alton.
The last part Of Chide Harold 1.-THE reference
is 10 the third canto. which had Just appeared
intlmstes terrible state Of mind. and. with all
the power and genius which characterized his
dictate more serious and desperate degree Of
misanthropy. I own WAS not much moved
By the scorn Of the world which his first poems
show, because I know It is q humor OF mind
which those whom fortune has spoiled By In
diligence or Ill treated By reverses are apt
to assume, because IL looks melancholy
and becomes q bard as we'll as being des-
perately In love or very fond of,tne sunrise.
though he lies In bed till noon. or anxious in
H. A. A. 81. -H-NA
ing old abbeys by moonlight. which he never
happened to see under the chaste moonbeam
himself; but this strange poem goes much
deeper. and either the demon OF missnthropy
IL In full possession OF him. or he has invited
ten guests equally desperate to the swept and
Rarnlshed mansion Of Harolds understanding.
On my word Of honor. should expect IL to
end either In actual insanity or omethinR
equally frightfuL I am glad you have con-
tradicted the reports OF his following q
course OF open profiRacy. wonder who
can have circulated such stories. were It
not that the degradation OF genius seems to
give as little pain to vulgar minds as the plot
ting q bird does to cook who cares little
whether It be dunRhlll cock or . pheasant.
would be glad TO hear that Lady Byron was
as well as circum stances can entitle her friends
to expect 1t Ia terrible thing to DO attached
in the flight OF such balloon as Lord b.. and
the interest which his writings maintain keeps
him In tanner before the eyes OF the public
and prevents his misfortune from dying away.
or being forgotten. as In the ordinary CASE"
It is still OF the third canto OF Childe Harold
that Scott speaks In q letter to Morritt: but
here he is moro critical He observes that In
this part OF Chide Harold Lord Byron has
more avowedly identified himself with his per-
sonage than upon former occasions. and, In
truth. does not affect to separate them. 1t 10
wilder and less sweet. I think than the first
part. but contains even darker and more
powerful pourngs forth Of the spirit which
boils within him. l question whether there
ever lived a man who. without looking abroad
for subjects except as they produce an effect on
himself. has contrived to render long poems.
turning almost entirely upon tho feelings.
and emotions OF the author. so
deeply interesting. We gaze on the powerful
and ruined mind which he presents US as on
a shattered castle. within whose walls. once in
tended for nobler guests. sorcerers and wild |
demons are supposed to hold their Sabbath. |
There Is something dreadful In rehocting that |
one gifted 80 much above his fellow creatures |
should thus labor under some strange mental |
malady that destroys the peace OF mind and |
happiness although 1t cannot quench the q re |
OF his Reniua fear the termination will be |
fatal In one way or the other. for 1t seems i'm |
constant working Of an Imagination so dark
and so rtrcng. Suicide or utter insanity Is not
unlikely to close the scenea".
III.
Soon afterward. Scott published an ex-
tremely generous article on the third canto
Of Childe Harold In the Quarterly Repieo. an
article which caused Byron to say: Tho
perusal has given me as much qualification as
any composition OF that nature could give. and
more than any other has given There is q
tact and delicacy throughout. not only with
regard to me but to others. which. as 1t has
not been observed elsewhere. 1 had. till now.
doubted whether it could be observed any.
chere" But. although Byron praised tho
tact OF tho article. 1t gave offence to
Lady Byron's friends. who. apparently.
thought that Scott should have gone out
Of the highway OF criticism to de-
nounce the poets treatment OF his wife.
Scott is called to account by Joanna Baillie In
\ letter written In February. 1917. The writer
begins with mentioning that she saw Lady
Byron Just after she had read the review. not
showing who was the writer. and she we'll per-
solved the use that would be made OF It against
herself The next time We met. q few days
she told me she was informed the
article was written By you (which ! was not
willing to believed. but added that. though IL
vas calculated to give an unfaVorable impress
lion OF her to the world. she believed It was
written from q generous desire to beiriend
Lord Byron. and no other motive. She soon |
eturned to the country. and has. / suppose,
net with friends who have viewed the put
alton In a very mischievous light. which has
Induced her to send you this notice. for. when
he left me. she exhibited no such in
ention- THE enclosed message from Lady
'yron IL not here reproducedl There
5 nothing which the world can pretend TO CEN
ure In Lady Byron. but that she Is supposed
o be OF a very cold and unforRivinR nature.
That she Is q woman OF great seli-eommAnd I
now. aud. where this Is the case we cannot ,
yell Judge OF the degree OF feeling: but I
ever in the whole course OF my life. met with
ny person OF more candid or forRivinR dis
osition. She has borne treatms nt and wrongs
xceeding anything l have ever heard Of In ,
~ life; and. could she have hoped for Any |
mendment to her husbands character. or
ven. without this hope. could she have con-
nued TO live with him without becoming her
alf vnrthlaaa and dahaaaI sha uvonI 4 | ,