Year: 1869

RhNe neI W unheINlanu JhaL III Jnls way
alone she could have a peaceful and
friendly life with him, she answered him
simply: 81 am too truly your friend to
| do this"


When Lord Byron found that he had
to do with one who would not Weld.
who knew him, who could not be blind.
ed, and could not he deceived, lie deter.
mined to rid himself of her altogether.


1t was when the state Of affairs be-
tween herself and her husband seemed
darkest and most hopeless, that the only
child Of this union was born. Lord By
ron's treatment OF his wife during the
sensitive period that preceded the birth of
this child, and during her confinement,
was marked by paroxysms of unmaDly
brutality, for which the only possible
charity on her part was the supposition
of insanity. Moore sheds a significant
light on this period by telling us that
about this time Byron was often drunk
day after day with Sheridan. There had
been insanity in the family, and this was
the plea which Lady RyroD's love put in
for him. She regarded him rs, if not in
sane, so nearly approaching the boundaries
of insanity as to be n subject of forbear-
ance and tender pity, and she loved him
with that love resembling a mothers
which good wives often feel when they
have lost all faith in their husbands prin-
ciplcs, and all hopes of ther affections
Still she was in heart and soul his best
fricnd-true to him with truth which
he himself copld not shake.


In the verses addressed to his daugh
ter Lord Byron speaks of her as


."The child of love though horn in bitterness.
And nurtured in eonvulsion."


a day or two after the birth of the
child, Lord Byron came suddenly into
Lady Byron's room, and told her that
her mother was dead. 1t was an utter
falsehood; but it was only one of the
many nameless injuries and crueltics bv
which he expressed his hatred of her.
A short time after her confinement, she
was informed by him, in note, that as
soon as she was able to travel she must
go-that he could not and would not
longer have her about him; and when
her child was only five weeks old, he
carried this threat Of expulsion into
eli ct.


Here we will insert briefly Lady By
ron's own accoGnt-the only ore she
over gave to the public-of this separa-
tion. The circumstances under which
this brief story were written are affect
ing.


Lord Byron was dead. The whole
account between him and her was closed
forever in this world. Moore's Life
had been prepared, containing simply
and solely Lord Byron's own version of
their story. Moore sent this version to
Lady Byron, and requested to know if
she had any remarks to make upon it..
In reply she sent a brief statement to
him-the first and only one that had
ever come from her during all the years
Of the separation, and which appears TO
have mainly for its object the exculpa-
tion of her father and m )ther from the
charge made by the poet OF being the
instigators of the separation.


In this letter she says, with regard to
their separation:


"The facts are-I left London for
Kirby Mallory, the residence of my IA
ther and mother, the 18th OF January,
1916. Lord Byron had signified to me
in writing, January G, his absolute desire
that | should leave London on the ear
lest day that / could conveniently fix.
1t was not sale for me to undertake the
fatigue of journey sooner than the 18th.
Previously to my departure it had been
strongly impressed upon my mind that
Lord Byron was under the influence of
insanity. This opinion was derived in a
great measure from the communications
made by his nearest relatives and per-
sonal attendant, who had more opportu-
nifty than myself for observing him dur
ing the latter part of my stay in town.
1t was even represented to me that he
was in danger of destroying himself


With the concurrence Of his .tamily, !
had consulted DR.. Baillie, as n friend
January 8, respecting the supposed nal,
ady. On acquainting him with the state
Of the case, and with Lord Byron's dc.
sire that l should leave London, DR..
Baillie thought that my absence might
be advisable as an experiment, assuming
the fact of mental arrangement; for DIR.
Baillie, not having had access to Lord
Byron, could not pronounce positive
opinion on that point. He enioined that
in correspondence with Lord Byron,
should avoid all but light and soothing
topics. Under these impressions / left
London, determined to follow the advice
given by DR.. Baillic. Whatever might
have been the conduct of Lord Byron
toward me from the time of my mar
riage, yet, supposing him TO be in state
OF alienation, it was not for me, nor for
any person of common humanity, to
manifest at that moment n sense of in
jury"


Nothing more than this letter from
Lady Byron is necessary to sHbstan-
tiate the fact that she did not IedUe her
husband, but was dricen from him--dri-
ven from him that he might give himself
up to the guilty infatuation that was con-
suming him, without being Tortured by
her imploring face, and by :he silent
power of her presence and her prayers.
| For a long time before this she had
seen little of him. On the day Of her
departure she passed by the door Of his
room, and stopped to caress his fayoIfte
spaniel, which was lying there; and she
confessed to n friend the weakness OF