The sun., 1896-06-21

poet laureate OF the town, who pre-.
sonted them with oonEratulatory ode,
and retired from their presence, happy In the
possession of n donation; at Nice they were
greeted by school children. dressed In their holi-
day attire, who offered them bouquets; at AK
they received, on departing. farewell gifts OF
orango-howor water. bonbons, and roses. Their
tour, in q word. was = triumphant progress, i'm
possible in these later days Of haste. The diary
kept by Lady Biessington during her travels is
mainly devoted TO descriptions of places visited.
Tho most interesting pages are those in which
she recounts hor meeting for the first time with
Lord Byron; this took place In Genoa, city
which she reached after nearly eight months of
travel. Here Byron had been settled since Sep
tember, 1922, in tho Casa Saluzsi, In suburb
of the city named Albaro. The poet occupied
one wing of the palace, and the GAMBIA family,
consisting of tho Countess Guiccioli, her father,
and her brother. the other. Since Aprll. 1910,
Byron had been the avowed lover OF tho
Countess, who, when ho first met her, was but
10 years old.
Lord Blcesingtcn had known Byron. with
whom he was desirous Of renewing his ac-
uuaintance, and to whom he wished to intro
duce his wife. 90 they drove to the village Of
Albaro, and, on arriving at the gate of the
courtyard, Lord Blessington and Count D'Orsay,
who had Joined the travellers at Avignon. sent
In their names. They had a cordial reception
from Byron, who expressed tho hope that ho
might have the pleasure of being introduced to
Lady Blessington. On this, the la ;ter's husband
said that she and her sister were In the carriage
at the gate. byron then," AZ the Countess
writes, Immediately hurried out into tho
court and /, who heard tho sound of steps,
looked through the gate, and behold him ap-
preaching quickly, without his hat. and consid-
erably in advance of the other two gentlemen"
At first, Lady Blessington felt disappointed
by the appearance of tho poeh because he
was unlike the ideal she hnd formed OF
tho author Of Manfred" and "Childe Har-
old" She had expected to hnd O dig
nifed. cold. reserved, and naughty individ-
ual, resembling tho mysterious person.
ages he loved to paint In his work; but nothing,
sho considered could be more different. "Wero
to point out" sho writes, "a prominent defect
Of Lord Byron. should say II was dippancy.
aud total want OF tho natural self possession
and dignity which ought to characterize a man
Of birth and education"
On reflection. however. she ad NIT cd that most
people would be more than satisfied with HIS
appearance and manner; for the hrst was pro-
possessing and tho esecond cordial. His head"
she writes, as peculiarly we'll shaped. the fore
head high, open and highly indicative Of intel
lectual power; his eyes are gray and expressive.
one Is visibly larger than tho other; his nose
looks handsome in profile. but in front is some
what clumsy. The eyebrows are we'll defined
and flexible; the mouth Ia faultless tho upper
lip being OF Grecian shortness, and both as
finely chiselled, to use an artists phrase. as
those OF an antique statue. There 10 scornful
expression in tho latter feature that does not
deteriorats from it's beauty. His chin is largo,
hut we'll shaped and not at oil feshy, and An
ishes well his face, which is of an oval form.
His hair has already much OF silver among its
darS-brown curls: Its texture IL very silky. and.
although it retreats from his temples, leaving
his forehead very bare. its growth at tho sides
and back OF his head Is abundant. Ihayo eel
dom seen." she adds, "a smoother or more fair
skin; though very pale. his Is not the palor
OF III health He rs 80 exceedingly thin that
his figure has an almost boylsh air. yet
there is something SO striking in his whole
appearance that he could not DO mistaken for
an ordinary person. do not think that
should have observed his lameness had not
my attention been called to It by his own v,si-
bic consciousness Of this inhrmity. n conscious
ness that gives o oducherte to his movements.~
Tho saloon into W hich the poet led his visitors
was spacious. but barely furnished. It's windows
on ono sido looking into o sts.ely garden, with
orange trees I'D cedara. terraces and foun lainL.
INTO NNlS SOhoWuA. SOmOfo room Lazy BLESSING
ton. her expressive face bright with smiles OF
triumph and qualification. her exquisite toilet
radiant with color. came O. q beam OF sunshine.
At first tho conversation turned on common
friends and then on tho number OF English poo
pie who pestered Byron with visits, though
most of them were unknown to him. He
stated that he steadily refused to receive any
but those he really wished TO sec. As for
tho others. he added. {" they avenge themselves
By attacking me !n every sort oc waT.'
On the walls hung a small portrait of his
daughter. Lady Ble.sngton. looking at this,
remarked that the child bore him q strong re-
semb!ance which seemed to crafty him. II
am told she is cle"er." he said " but 1 hope not;
and. above all, hope she Is not poet!cal. The
price paid for suon advantages. II advantages
they be. Is such as to make me crave that M
child may escape them" As ne talked to her
and her party. Lady BlsssinRton, who was a
shrewd observer. had opportunities of noticing
various characterstics Of the poet. He hnd tho
smallest hand she had ever seen on a man,
finely shaped, delicately white tho nails rose
colored and highly polished, so that they rsse,-
bed delicate pink shells; his voice was clear and
melodious. though somewhat effeminato, and
his enunciation so distinct that. though his tone
was low pitched. not word was lost; his
laughter was music itself. She thought he owed
less TO his clothes than any oiher man Of her
they being not only old fashioned,
but limiting. He does pot," sho notes, give
me tho impression that he is ill-natured or
malicious. even whilst uttering remarks that
imply the presence of these qualities. 1t appears
TO me that they proceed from a reckless levity
of disposition that renders him incapable Of
checking the spirituel bnt sarcastic sallics
which the possession OF q very uncommon de-
gree of shrewdness. and q still moro rare wit,
occasion; and, seeing how he amuses his hear
ers. he cannot resist tho e1iptatioD, although
al the expense Of many whom he proposes to
Ike
At . later rreeting tho conversation again
turned on common friends, and Tom Moore,
among others, was discussed. Byron spoke
moro warmly of tho Irish bard's attrac-
tions as a companion than OF his merits
as q poet. "Lalla Rookh," though beaut-
full, was disappointing TO Byron, who con-
sidered Moore would so down to poster
ity because Of his melodies, which were perfect;
he declared no had never been so affected as on
hearing Moore sing ono OF them, particularly
Wy a..s = 81