The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-05

| Copyright, 1915, by A. D. Jaeobsnn.)
The raking up, not long ago. by Lord
Lovelace, the grandson of Lord Byron.
of the scandaIous charge made by the
IatteT's wife-which by the way has been
pletely that it never can reappear-has
reopened the question whether the great
poet was really a rake. careless of wom-
ans honor Was Lady Byron justified
in deserving him and to threaten him
with publishing that abominable accusa-
ton against him? Was English society
right in hunting him out of the country
| TO a life OF abandonment and an early.
perhaps, selfsought grave in a strange
country?
Before his marriage to Anne Milbanke,
George Gordon, sixth Lord Byron, was
| a young man much envied by his TEL
lows. At Cambridge he had become noted
as a dandy and as wag. Later he took
London society by storm with the pub
LEGATION of his "Childe Harold" and other
poems, in which he revealed himself as
master of lyric and satirical verse.
Although he walked with a limp and
was self-cOnscious OF his infirmity. he
had the face of Greek hero, with deli
cate features and large. haunting eyes,
| tality his appearance was startling
Byron was perfectly conscious of his
good looks and of the impression he
made in any assembly. He adopted a pose
Of mysterious melancholy and Of irdifter-
| ence to the homage paid him. Often in
room crowded with gay people AMI
beautiful women he would stand apart
| frowning with pensive eyes as though
utterly alOof from the world about MIN.
-af at a
OF him, and went away to dream of him.
| Unfortunately some of them did more
than that. SThey offered him their love,
and flung themselves at his feet.
One woman, above all, tempted him
| Lady Caroline Lamb. the wife of the
I British statesman who afterwards be-
came famous as Lord Melbourne. She
was a passionate creature, who used
to smash the china in the drawing-rOOm
| when she Quarreled with her easy-going
| husband, and who began her married
life by tearing her wedding dress into
tatters At first sight she fell madiy
| in love with Byron and offered to elOpe
with him For little while he dallied
with her and humOred her. But when
her passion became too dangerous he
reminded her of her duty to her hus-
band and scoded her like n naughty
child. Caroline Lamb threatened 10
commit suicide: she was saved from
dashinC herself out Of a window by
some one catching hold of her skirts.
After that she made an effigy Of Byron
and burnt it in her garden. with copies
Of the letters he had written her. Byron
laughed and COmplimented himself on
his escape from such a vixen.
He held a secret in his heart which
sateguarded him for a time against
tempting women. A. boy he had
fallen in love. in a romantic way, with
a girl named Mary ellsworth. She was
his ideal and although they had drifted
apart and she had married a man Of
the middle class he cherished the image
Of her as Dante did Of his beloved
Beatrice Yet the memory of Mar
ellsworth did not prevent his marriage
with Anne Milhanke. though 1t did not
make him happy.
Anne Mmbanke adored him. She seemed
to him AS good as any other woman.
sine" Mary ChawOrth could not be his.
Without any passionate love, with mere
formal gallantry, he proposed and she
accepted him by return Of mail
1t was the beginning OF his MES
TRAGEDY Lady Byron was unsuted TO be
the mate OF d man Of genius with an
unruIy heart and a rowing imagination.
She was prim. strict in her self conscious
virtue and above all was jealous. 1t was
not long before she guessed that he did
not love her. but instead OF trying To- win
his love by eNerting all her wOmanly
charm. by inspiring his ambition and
humorinE his whims. she adopted an air
OF grievance. preached at him, and tried