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

in some degree. the despair Of = perish
ing mind and rouse II TO make som,
effort to save itself; but this will not be
You cannot save him, though. By that effort
you may dspress . most worthy character wh'
has been already sinned against, and whC
bears the deepest part Of her distress II
| silence" Not long after this letter was written
Lady Byron. in the course Of q tour in Scot
| land, stopped for = day at Abbottsford. Re.
ferring TO that visit. Joanna Baillie writes: :"
| am glad you were 90 much pleased With Lady
Byron. That trait which struck you Of de-
| cidednsss have often observed. but I believe
that while she lived with Lord b. she was
most compliant TO his will IN. everything ex-
ceptinR when she was required to mingle OF
become an associate Of the profieate and de-
based. But nothing would satisfy him but the
grovelling devotedness OF . Gulnare."
In 1921 Byron wrote and inscribed TO Scott
the drama entitled Cain" We and the fol-
lowing comment in letter written By Scott in
December OF the year named; He Byron
has been very great in his generalization OF
the evil principle under the name OF Lucifer.
who speaks, Of course. the language OF the
Manichean hsresy. II IL most extraordi-
nary piece Of composition. and he seems to
me, In many cases. fairly to have drawn the
bow Of Milton. I think. however the work
will not escape eensure. for It IL scarce pos
B1Ole TO mako tne uoNll speak as tne ueVll Wltn-
out giving offence" Three years later Byron
died. and II IL evident from letter to Lady
Abercorn that the news was . great shock to
Scott Il have" he writes. been terribly dis
tressed at Door Byron's death. In talents
he was unsoualled. and his faults were
those rather OF . bizarre temper arts
ing from an eager and irritable, nerv-
Gus habit than any deprsvity Of disposi-
tlon. lie was devoid OF sslfshness. which I
take to be the baeest Ingredient in the human
composition. He was generous. humane. and
noble-minded whom passion did not blind him.
The worst ever saw about him was that he
rather liked Indifferent company than that OF
those with whom he must, from character and
talent, have necessarily conversed more upon
an equality. I believe much Of his mlssn-
thropy-for I never thought II reHl-was
founded upon instances OF ingratitude and
senshness experienced at the hands OF
those from whom better could not have
been expected. During the disagreement
between him and his lady the hubbub
raised by the public reminded me OF the
mischievous boys who pretend to chase run
away horses Man and wife would hardly
make the mutual sacrifices which are neces-
sary to make them friends when the whole
public OF London were hallooing after them.
Sir Frederick Adams last lettors state that
poor Byron's loss will be inestimably felt BY
the Greeks. He had influence with their chiefs.
which he employed in recommending modera-
tion In their councils and humanity in their
actions-very contrary doctrines to those
preached by some hot-headed poets from this
part OF the world" It appears that Lady
Abercorn sent to Scott a CODY OF the last verses
penned by Byron. the verses beginning. "'Tis
time this heart should be unmoved.'
scotts comment is as follows: Nothing
can Interest me more than the last verses
OF poor Byron. born as he was for something
so noble. and only prevented from attaining
the highest point In public esteem BY the
faults which think flowed from q morbid
ten psrament which. like tho slave In the trl-
umphal chariot, so often accompanies genius
to humble her and her triumph The unfin-
ished state OF the lines, the heartfelt pressure
OF care and unhappiness under which they are
written and tho longing for closing the scene
by an honorable death render them as melan-
choly and oppressive as any verses ever read"
Nv.
In the hrs. OF these volumes there 10 letter
10 Miss Seward dated April. 1906 which con-
taius an interesting passage about Words
worth and Southey. Scott had made not long |
before q journey into Cum berland. and Southey
had repaid him By visiting his farm. They |
are certainly men," Scott writes. of very ex- |
powers. Wordsworth. in particu- |
lar. 10 such character as only exists In ro- |
nance-vtrtuous. simple. and unaffectedly re- |
stricting every want and wish within the |
bounds OF q very narrow income In order to en-
10y the literary and poetical leisure which his |
ha ppiness consists in. We're II not for the I'M
fortunate Idea OF forming new school OF
poetry. these men are calculated to give II q
new impulse. but think they som etimes lose
heir energy in trying to find not q better
but . different path than what has
been travelled by their predecessors
Jaw nothing In southey like literary
JEALOUSY and should think him above It; cor
ainly his bearing Is not always and alto
yether 30 easy and plea sing as that OF Words
worth. but l think II 10 mere manners. |
as was not at all a subject for
lis jealousy. l am certain that neither did
'xcite any. though much kind and free discus
ion took place among US Iagree with you
n Admiring Madoo very much; the descrip-
ions OF natural objects are most admirable.
md may certainly rank with any that our
'oetry affords Mr.. Southey seems to excel in
eizinR either those circumstances which give
haracter to the landscape or such as are so
loosely connected with them that the one be-
NC suggested to our Imagination naturally
nd almost necessarily recalls the rest. am
ot quite sure that the subject Of such and so
ong q poem 10 altogether so we'll chosen.
he exploits OF Madoo necessarily re-
all the history OF Cortez and the
oyage OF Columbus and this mixture Of
ruth and fancy is not pleasant. Whether It is
wing to this. or that the heroes aud heroinss,
onsidered as mon and women. have little OF
nat discriminating character which IL abso-
itely necessary to interest reader. am I'M
BILE to decide; but so It 10 that Madoc some
mes requires an effort on the part OF the
sader to accompany him on his journey II
. however. an effort. amply repaid by the ine
Assages which perpetually occur throughout
10 poem" Writing TO the same correspondent
10 next year. Scott says. Il am quito glad
gu received Southey. Delighted with him
ou must be yet incarceration. great as he is.
0 Is inferior to Wordsworth. perhaps because
Q is deeper and more elaborate scholar.
outhey rarely allows you any Of those rsposes
conversation when you are at liberty to speak.
5 the phrase IL. whatever comes uppermost
ut In return. II an idle fellow like me is some
mes little 0end he is at least Uniformed. and
lay be the wiser or the better from all he .