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AND THOSE OF EYE-WITNESSES OF HIS LIFE.
AND THOSE OF EYE-WITNESSES OF HIS LIFE.
"The long promised work of the Countess Guiccioli ."— Athenæum. NEW YORK : HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. 1869. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE ENGLISH PUBLISHER. The Publisher of this Translation feels authorized to state, that it is the production of the celebrated Countess Guiccioli . RICHARD BENTLEY. TO...
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THE AUTHOR OF THIS WORK,
THE AUTHOR OF THIS WORK,
THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION IS Respectfully Dedicated BY...
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INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
"To know another man well, especially if he be a noted and illustrious character, is a great thing not to be despised."— Sainte-Beuve . Many years ago a celebrated writer, in speaking of Lord Byron, who had then been dead some years, said that so much had already been written upon him that the subject had almost become commonplace, but was far from being exhausted. This truth, indisputable when applied to Byron's genius, his works, and to his intellect, was then and still is equally positive whe
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LORD BYRON.
LORD BYRON.
"Others form the man: I tell of him."— Montaigne . At all times the world has been very unjust; and (who does not know it?) in the history of nations many an Aristides has paid with exile the price of his virtues and his popularity. Great men, great countries, whole nations, whole centuries, have had to bear up against injustice; and the truth is, that vice has so often taken the place of virtue, evil of good, and error of truth, some have been judged so severely and others so leniently, that, c
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LORD BYRON AND M. DE LAMARTINE.
LORD BYRON AND M. DE LAMARTINE.
To Count de ——. Paris, 17th June, 1860. My Dear Count ,—Confiding in your willingness to oblige, I beg to ask a favor and your advice. I received, a short time ago, a prospectus of a subscription to be raised for a general addition of the works of M. de Lamartine. You are aware that when it is a question of showing my sympathy for M. de Lamartine I would never miss the opportunity of doing so; but on this occasion I see on the programme the promise of a Life of Lord Byron. Such an announcement m
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PORTRAIT OF LORD BYRON.
PORTRAIT OF LORD BYRON.
The following letter was addressed to M. de Lamartine, who had asked the author of these pages to give him the "portrait physique" of Lord Byron. My dear Monsieur de Lamartine ,— Being on the point of departure, I nevertheless wish to send you a few explanations which must serve as my apology. You have asked me to draw the portrait of Lord Byron, and I have promised you that I would do so. I now see that my promise was presumptuous. Every time I have endeavored to trace it, I have had to put dow
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FRENCH PORTRAIT.
FRENCH PORTRAIT.
"I see that the greater part of the men of my time endeavor to blemish the glory of the generous and fine actions of olden days by giving to them some vile interpretation, or by finding some vain cause or occasion which produced them—very clever, indeed! I shall use a similar license, and take the same trouble to endeavor to raise these great names."— Montaigne , chap. "Glory." The portrait of Lord Byron, in a moral point of view, is still to be drawn. Many causes have conspired to make the task
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LORD BYRON'S RELIGIOUS OPINIONS.
LORD BYRON'S RELIGIOUS OPINIONS.
"When the triumph of a cause of such importance to humanity is in question, there never can be too many advocates.... But it is not enough to count up the votes; their value must, above all, be weighed."— Sherer. The struggles between heart and reason, in religious matters, began almost with Lord Byron's infancy. His desire of reconciling them was such, that, if unsuccessful, his mind was perplexed and restless. He was not, as it were, out of the cradle, when, in the midst of his childish play,
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CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH OF LORD BYRON.
All Byron's biographers (at least all those who knew him) have borne testimony to his great goodness, but they have not dwelt sufficiently upon this principal feature in his character. Biographers generally wish to produce an effect. But goodness is not a sufficiently noticeable quality to be dilated upon; it would not repay ambition or curiosity. It is a quality mostly attributed to the saints, and a biographer prefers dilating upon the defects of his hero, upon some adventure or scandal—means
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THE FRIENDSHIPS OF LORD BYRON.
THE FRIENDSHIPS OF LORD BYRON.
The extraordinary part which friendship played in Lord Byron's life is another proof of his goodness. His friendships may be divided into two categories: the friendships of his heart, and those of his mind. To the first class belong those which he made at Harrow and in his early Cambridge days, while his later acquaintances at the University matured into friends of the second category. These had great influence over his mind. The names of those of the first category who were dearest to him, and
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LORD BYRON CONSIDERED AS A FATHER, AS A BROTHER, AND AS A SON. HIS GOODNESS SHOWN BY THE STRENGTH OF HIS INSTINCTIVE AFFECTIONS.
LORD BYRON CONSIDERED AS A FATHER, AS A BROTHER, AND AS A SON. HIS GOODNESS SHOWN BY THE STRENGTH OF HIS INSTINCTIVE AFFECTIONS.
LORD BYRON AS A FATHER. If, as a great moralist has said, our natural affections have power only upon sensitive and virtuous natures, but are despised by men of corrupt and dissipated habits, then must we find a proof again of Lord Byron's excellence in the influence which his affections exercised over him. His tenderness for his child, and for his sister, was like a ray of sunshine which lit up his whole heart, and in the moments of greatest depression prevented desolation from completely absor
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QUALITIES OF LORD BYRON'S HEART.
QUALITIES OF LORD BYRON'S HEART.
Gratitude,—that honesty of the soul which is even greater than social honesty, since it is regulated by no express law, and that most uncommon virtue, since it proscribes selfishness,—was pre-eminently conspicuous in Lord Byron. To forget a kindness done, a service rendered, or a good-natured proceeding, was for him an impossibility. The memories of his heart were even more astonishing than those of his mind. His affection for his nurses, for his masters, for all those who had taken care of him
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BENEVOLENCE AND KINDNESS OF LORD BYRON.
BENEVOLENCE AND KINDNESS OF LORD BYRON.
BENEVOLENCE. The benevolence of Byron's character constitutes the principal characteristic of his nature, and was particularly remarkable from its power. All the good qualities in Byron do not show the same force in the same degree. In all the sentiments which we have analyzed and given in proof of his goodness, though each may be very strong, and even capable of inspiring him with the greatest sacrifice, yet one might find in each that personal element, inherent in different degrees to our pure
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QUALITIES AND VIRTUES OF SOUL.
QUALITIES AND VIRTUES OF SOUL.
ANTIMATERIALISM. Among Lord Byron's natural qualities we may rank his antipathy, not only for any thing like low sensuality or gross vice, but even for those follies to which youth and human nature are so prone. Whatever may have been said on this head, and notwithstanding the countenance Lord Byron's own words may have lent to calumnies too widely believed, it will be easy to prove the truth of our assertion. Let us examine his actions, his words (when serious), the testimony of those who knew
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THE CONSTANCY OF LORD BYRON.
THE CONSTANCY OF LORD BYRON.
Among Lord Byron's moral virtues, may we count that of constancy? Men in general, not finding this virtue in their own lives, refuse to believe in its existence among those who, in exception to the common rule, do possess it. They must be forced to this act of justice as to many others. This is comprehensible; constancy is so rare! "I less easily believe constancy in men than any thing else," says Montaigne, "and nothing more easily than inconstancy." Besides the difficulties common to every one
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THE COURAGE AND FORTITUDE OF LORD BYRON.
THE COURAGE AND FORTITUDE OF LORD BYRON.
All the moral qualities that flow from energy—courage, intrepidity, fortitude; in a word, self-control—shone with too much lustre in Lord Byron's soul for us to pass them over in silence, or even to call only superficial attention to them. But, it may be said, Why speak of his courage? No one ever called it in question. Besides, is courage a virtue? It is hardly a quality; in reality it is but a duty. Yes, undoubtedly, that is true, but there are different kinds of courage, and Lord Byron's was
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THE MODESTY OF LORD BYRON.
THE MODESTY OF LORD BYRON.
Among the qualities that belong to his genius, the one which formed its chief ornament has been too much forgotten. Modesty constituted a beautiful quality of his soul. If it has not been formally denied him; if, even among those whom we term his biographers, some have conceded modesty as pertaining to Lord Byron's genius, they have done so timidly; and have at the same time indirectly denied it by accusing him of pride. Was Lord Byron proud as a poet and as a man? We shall have occasion to answ
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THE VIRTUES OF HIS SOUL.
THE VIRTUES OF HIS SOUL.
HIS GENEROSITY A VIRTUE. All that we have hitherto said, proves that Lord Byron's generosity has never been disputed; but the generosity usually attributed to him was an innate quality, the impulse of a good heart, naturally inclined to bestow benefits. Certainly, to distribute among the poor our superfluities, and very often more than that, to borrow rather than suffer the unfortunate to wait for assistance; to subtract from our pleasures, and even to bear privations, the better to help all the
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GENEROSITY A HEROISM.
GENEROSITY A HEROISM.
PARDON, MAGNANIMITY. It remains for us to examine Lord Byron's generosity under another form. I mean that which, after having passed by different degrees of moral beauty, may reach the highest summit of virtue, and become the greatest triumph of moral strength, because it overcomes the most just resentments, forgives, returns good for evil, and constitutes the very heroism of Christian charity. Did Lord Byron's generosity really attain such a high degree? To convince ourselves of it, we must aga
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FAULTS OF LORD BYRON.
FAULTS OF LORD BYRON.
After having shown the virtues Lord Byron possessed, it might seem useless to inquire whether he had not the faults whose absence they prove. Still, however, it is well to look at the subject from another point of view, and to offer, so to say, counter-proof. For, in judging him, all rules have been disregarded, not only those of justice and equity, but likewise those of logic. And, as it has been variously asserted of him, that he was constant and inconstant, firm and fickle, guided by principl
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IRRITABILITY OF LORD BYRON.
IRRITABILITY OF LORD BYRON.
Was Lord Byron irritable? With his poetic temperament, his exquisite and almost morbid sensibility, so grievously tried by circumstances, it would be equally absurd and untrue to pretend that he was as impassible as a stoic, or phlegmatic as some good citizen who vegetates rather than lives. Did such qualities, or rather faults,—for they betoken a cold nature,—ever belong to Milton, Dante, Alfieri, and those master-spirits whose strength of passion, combined with force of intellect, have merited
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LORD BYRON'S MOBILITY.
LORD BYRON'S MOBILITY.
So much has been said of Lord Byron's mobility that it is necessary to analyze it well, and examine it under different aspects, so as to define and bring it within due limits. In the first place, we may ask on what grounds his biographers rested their opinion of this extraordinary mobility, which, according to them, went beyond the scope of intellectual qualities rather into the category of faults of temper? Evidently it was again through accepting a testimony the small value of which we have al
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LORD BYRON'S MISANTHROPY AND SOCIABILITY.
LORD BYRON'S MISANTHROPY AND SOCIABILITY.
Lord Byron has also been accused of misanthropy. But what is a misanthrope? Since Lucian, this name has been bestowed on the man who owns no friend but himself; who looks upon all others as so many rogues, for whom relatives, friends, country, are but empty names; who despises fame, and aims at no distinction except that conferred by his strange manners, savage anger, and inhumanity. When those who have known Lord Byron, and studied his life, compare him to this type, it may well be asked whethe
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LORD BYRON'S PRIDE.
LORD BYRON'S PRIDE.
Among Lord Byron's biographers, we remark some who doubtless believed it useless to count on success, if their work did not contain a large tribute to human wickedness, and who, seeing it nevertheless impossible to accuse Lord Byron of any vice emanating from heart or soul, gave themselves the pleasure of imagining a host of defects. Besides the faults produced by impetuosity and irritability of temper,—those we have just explained,—they dwell on I know not what exaggerated esteem of himself, an
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THE VANITY OF LORD BYRON.
THE VANITY OF LORD BYRON.
But it is incomprehensible that any one should have been found to accuse Lord Byron of vanity. For is not the vain man one who lies in order to appear better and more highly gifted than he really is; who knows full well that the good opinion he so ardently seeks is not what he deserves; who endeavors by every means to attract the attention of others; who flatters in order to be flattered; whose willingness to oblige, whose care and kindness, all flow from interested motives; whose whole characte
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LORD BYRON'S MARRIAGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
LORD BYRON'S MARRIAGE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
Lord Byron's marriage exercised such a deplorable influence over his destiny, that it is impossible to speak of it succinctly, and without entering into details; for this one great misfortune proved the fruitful source of all others. If we were permitted to believe that Providence sometimes abandons men here below to the influence of an evil genius, we might well conceive this baneful intervention in the case of Lord Byron's conjugal union, and all the circumstances that led to it. It was but a
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LORD BYRON'S GAYETY AND MELANCHOLY.
LORD BYRON'S GAYETY AND MELANCHOLY.
A great deal has been said about Byron's melancholy. His gayety has also been spoken of. As usual, all the judgments pronounced have been more or less false. His temperament is just as little known as his disposition, when people affect to judge him in an exclusive way. Let me, then, be permitted in this instance also to re-establish truth on its only sure basis, namely, facts. Lord Byron was so often gay that several of his biographers had thought themselves justified in asserting that gayety a
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THE MELANCHOLY OF LORD BYRON.
THE MELANCHOLY OF LORD BYRON.
"To know the real cause of our sadness is near akin to knowing what we are worth."— Paradol , Study on Moralists . From all that we have said, and judging from that natural tendency of his mind to look at even serious things on the ridiculous, laughable side, would it be correct to infer that Lord Byron was always gay, and never melancholy? Those maintaining such an opinion, would have to bear too many contradictions. Physiology, psychology, and history, would together protest against such an as
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LOVE OF TRUTH; OR, CONSCIENCE A CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC OF LORD BYRON.
LOVE OF TRUTH; OR, CONSCIENCE A CHIEF CHARACTERISTIC OF LORD BYRON.
Some of Lord Byron's biographers, unable to overcome the difficulty of defining so complete a character, or of explaining, by ordinary rules, certain contradictions apparent in his rich nature, think to excuse their own inefficiency and elude the difficulty, by saying that he did not possess one of those striking points, or decided inclinations, that constitute a man's moral physiognomy. They pretend that his qualities of heart and mind, his passions, inclinations, virtues, faults, are so combin
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"VENETIA:"
"VENETIA:"
Is Mr. Disraeli to be classed among the biographers of Lord Byron because in his preface to "Venetia" he declares that his object is to portray Lord Byron? We do not think so. Truth and error, romance and history, are too much intermixed, and the author himself confesses this fact in calling his work a novel. But while denying to "Venetia" the right of being styled a biography, we must admit that it is both a deep, true, and at times admirable study of the fine and so ill-judged character of Lor
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FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIBRARIES,
FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LIBRARIES,
For a full List of Books suitable for Libraries, see Harper & Brothers' Trade-List and Catalogue , which may be had gratuitously on application to the Publishers personally, or by letter enclosing Five Cents . Harper & Brothers will send any of the following works by mail, postage prepaid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price . MOTLEY'S DUTCH REPUBLIC. The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. By John Lothrop Motley , LL.D., D.C.L. With a Portrait of William
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