shore to the Asiatic-about two miles wide. and the gratification which he manifested on The tide of the Dardanelles runs so strong, observing the superiority, in every respect, of that it is impossible either to swim or to sail England to other countries, proved that patrito any given point. Lord Byron went from otism was far from being extinct in his bosom. the castle to Abydos, and landed on the oppo- The embarrassed state of his affairs at length site shore, full three miles below his meditated induced him to return home, to endeavour to place of approach. He had a boat in attend-arrange them; and he arrived in the Volage ance all the way; so that no danger could be frigate on the 2d of July, 1811, having been apprehended even if his strength had failed. absent exactly two years. His health had not His lordship records, in one of his minor suffered by his travels, although it had been poems, that he got the ague by the voyage; interrupted by two sharp fevers; but he had but it was well known, that when he landed, put himself entirely on a vegetable diet, and he was so much exhausted, that he gladly ac- drank no wine. cepted the offer of a Turkish fisherman, and Soon after his arrival, he was summoned to reposed in his hut for several hours; he was Newstead, in consequence of the serious illthen very ill, and as Lieutenant Ekenhead ness of his mother; but on reaching the abwas compelled to go on board his frigate, he bey, found that she had breathed her last. He was left alone. The Turk had no idea of the suffered much from this loss, and from the disrank or consequence of his inmate, but paid appointment of not seeing her before her death; him most marked attention. His wife was and while his feelings on the subject were still his nurse, and, at the end of five days, he left very acute, he received the intelligence, that the shore, completely recovered. When he a friend, whom he highly esteemed, had been was about to embark, the Turk gave him a drowned in the Cam. He had not long before large loaf, a cheese, and a skin filled with heard of the death, at Coimbra, of a schoolwine, and then presented him with a few fellow, to whom he was much attached. These paras (about a penny each), prayed Allah to three melancholy events, occurring within the bless him, and wished him safe home. His space of a month, had, no doubt, a powerful lordship made him no return to this, more than effect on Lord Byron's feelings. saying he felt much obliged. But when he Towards the termination of his "English arrived at Abydos, he sent over his man Ste- Bards and Scotch Reviewers," the noble aufano, to the Turk, with an assortment of fish-thor had declared, that it was his intention to ing-nets, a fowling piece, a brace of pistols, break off, from that period, his newly-formed and twelve yards of silk to make gowns for connexion with the Muses, and that, should his wife. The poor Turk was astonished, and he return in safety from the "Minarets" of said, "What a noble return for an act of hu- Constantinople, the "Maidens" of Georgia, manity!" He then formed the resolution of and the "Sublime Snows" of Mount Caucrossing the Hellespont, and, in propria casus, nothing on earth should tempt him to person, thanking his lordship. His wife ap- resume the pen. Such resolutions are seldom proved of the plan; and he had sailed about maintained. In February, 1812, the first two half way across, when a sudden squall upset cantos of "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" (with his boat, and the poor Turkish fisherman the manuscript of which he had presented his found a watery grave. Lord Byron was friend Mr. Dallas,) made their appearance, much distressed when he heard of the catas-producing an effect upon the public, equal to trophe, and, with all that kindness of heart that of any work which has been published which was natural to him, he sent to the within this or the last century. widow fifty dollars, and told her he would This poem is, perhaps, the most original in ever be her friend. This anecdote, so highly the English language, both in conception and honourable to his lordship's memory, is very execution. It is no more like Beattie's Min little known. Lieutenant Hare, who was on strel than Paradise Lost-though the former the spot at the time, furnished the particulars, production was in the noble author's mind and added that, in the year 1817, Lord Byron, when first thinking of Childe Harold. A great then proceeding to Constantinople, landed at poet, who gives himself up free and unconthe same spot, and made a handsome present fined to the impulses of his genius, as Byron to the widow and her son, who recollected did in the better part of this singular creation, the circumstance, but knew not Lord Byron, shows to us a spirit as if sent out from the his dress and appearance having so altered hands of nature, to range over the earth and him. the societies of men. Even Shakspeare himIt was not until after Lord Byron arrived self submits to the shackles of history and at Constantinople that he decided not to go society. But here Byron has traversed the on to Persia, but to pass the following summer whole earth, borne along by the whirlwind of in the Morea. At Constantinople, Mr. Hob- bis own spirit. Wherever a forest frowned, house left him to return to England. On losing or a temple glittered-there he was privihis companion, Lord Byron went again, and leged to bend his flight. He suddenly starts alone, over much of the old track which he had up from his solitary dream, by the secret founalready visited, and studied the scenery and tain of the desert, and descends at once into manners, of Greece especially, with the search- the tumult of peopled or the silence of deing eye of a poet and a painter. His mind serted cities. Whatever actually lived-had appeared occasionally to have some tendency perished heretofore-or that had within it a towards a recovery from the morbid state of power to kindle passion, became the materiel moral apathy which he had previously evinced, of his all-embracing song. There are no unities

B

of time or place to fetter him-and we fly denizen in the first circles. This passport was with him from hill-top to hill-top, and from not necessary to Lord Byron, who possessed tower to tower, over all the solitude of nature, the hereditary claims of birth and rank. But and all the magnificence of art. When the the interest which his genius attached to his past pageants of history seemed too dim and presence, and to his conversation, was of a faded, he would turn to the splendid specta- nature far beyond what these hereditary cles that have dignified our own days, and the claims could of themselves have conferred, images of kings and conquerors of old gave and his reception was enthusiastic beyond place to those that were yet living in sove-any thing imaginable. Lord Byron was not reignty and exile. Indeed, much of the power one of those literary men of whom it may ba which Byron possessed was derived from this truly said, minuit præsentia famam. A counsource. He lived in a sort of sympathy with tenance, exquisitely modeled to the expresthe public mind-sometimes wholly distinct sion of feeling and passion, and exhibiting the from it--sometimes acting in opposition to it remarkable contrast of very dark hair and -sometimes blending with it, but, at all eyebrows, with light and expressive eyes, times, in all his thoughts and actions, bearing presented to the physiognomist the most ina reference to the public mind. His spirit teresting subject for the exercise of his art. needed not to go back into the past,-though The predominating expression was that of it often did so,-to bring the objects of its love deep and habitual thought, which gave way to back to earth in more beautiful life. The ex- the most rapid play of features when he enistence he painted was-the present. The gaged in interesting discussion; so that a objects he presented were marked out to him brother poet compared them to the sculpture by men's actual regards. It was his to speak of a beautiful alabaster vase, only seen to perof all those great political events which were fection when lighted up from within. The objects of such passionate and universal sym- flashes of mirth, gaiety, indignation, or sapathy. But chiefly he spoke our own feelings, tirical dislike, which frequently animated Lord exalted in thought, language, and passion. Byron's countenance, might, during an evenHis travels were not, at first, the self-impelled ing's conversation, be mistaken by a stranger act of a mind severing itself in lonely roaming for its habitual expression, so easily and so from all participation in the society to which happily was it formed for them all; but those it belonged, but rather obeying the general who had an opportunity of studying his feanotion of the mind of that society.

tures for a length of time, and upon various
occasions, both of rest and emotion, knew
that their proper language was that of melan
choly. Sometimes shades of this gloom inter-
rupted even his gayest and most happy mo-
ments; and the following verses are said to
have dropped from his pen to excuse a tran
sient expression of melancholy which over
clouded the general gaiety.

"When from the heart where Sorrow sits,
Her dusky shadow mounts too high,
And o'er the changing aspect flits,

And clouds the brow, or fills the eye-
Heed not the gloom that soon shall sink,
My thoughts their dungeon know too well;
Back to my breast the captives shrink,

And bleed within their silent cell."

The indications of a bold, powerful, and original mind, which glanced through every line of Childe Harold, electrified the mass of readers, and placed at once upon Lord Byron's head the garland for which other men of genius have toiled long, and which they have gained late. He was placed pre-eminent among the literary men of his country, by general acclamation. Those who had so rigorously censured his juvenile essays, and perhaps "dreaded such another field," were the first to pay warm homage to his matured efforts; while others, who saw in the sentiments of Childe Harold much to regret and to censure, did not withhold their tribute of applause to the depth of thought, the power and force of expression, and the energy of sentiment, It was impossible to notice a dejection bewhich animated the "Pilgrimage." Thus, as longing neither to the rank, the age, nor the all admired the poem, all were prepared to success of this young nobleman, without greet the author with that fame which is the feeling an indefinable curiosity to ascertain poet's best reward. It was amidst such feel- whether it had a deeper cause than habit or ings of admiration that Lord Byron fully en- constitutional temperament. It was obviously tered on that public stage, where, to the close of a degree incalculably more serious than that of his life, he made so distinguished a figure, alluded to by Prince ArthurEvery thing in his manner, person, and conversation, tended to maintain the charm which his genius had flung around him; and those admitted to his conversation, far from finding that the inspired poet sunk into ordinary mortality, felt themselves attached to him not only by many noble qualities, but by the interest of a mysterious, undefined, and almost painful curiosity.

I remember when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,
Only for wantonness-

But, howsoever derived, this, joined to Lord Byron's air of mingling in amusements and sports as if he contemned them, and felt that his sphere was far above the fashionable and frivolous crowd which surrounded him, gave It is well known how wide the doors of so- a strong effect of colouring to a character ciety are opened in London to literary merit, whose tints were otherwise decidedly romaneven to a degree far inferior to Lord Byron's, tic. Noble and far descended, the pilgrim of and that it is only necessary to be honourably distant and savage countries, eminent as a distinguished by the public voice, to move as a poet among the first whom Britain has pro

duced, and having besides cast around him a olic claims, which gave good hopes of his bemysterious charm arising from the sombre coming an orator; and the other related to a tone of his poetry, and the occasional melan-petition from Major Cartwright. Byron himcholy of his deportment, Lord Byron occu- self says, the Lords told him "his manner pied the eyes and interested the feelings of all. was not dignified enough for them, and would The enthusiastic looked on him to admire, better suit the lower house;" others say, they the serious with a wish to admonish, and the gathered round him while speaking, listening soft with a desire to console. Even literary with the greatest attention-a sign at any rate envy, a base sensation, from which, perhaps, that he was interesting. He always voted this age is more free than any other, forgave with the opposition, but evinced no likelihood the man whose splendour dimmed the fame of of becoming the blind partisan of either side. his competitors. The generosity of Lord By- The following is a pleasing instance of the ron's disposition, his readiness to assist merit generosity, the delicacy, and the unwounding in distress, and to bring it forward where un-benevolence of Byron's nature: known, deserved and obtained general re- A young lady of considerable talents, but gard; while his poetical effusions, poured forth with equal force and fertility, showed at once a daring confidence in his own powers, and a determination to maintain, by continued effort, the high place he had attained in British literature.

who had never been able to succeed in turning them to any profitable account, was reduced to great hardships through the misfortunes of her family. The only persons from whom she could have hoped for relief were abroad, and so urged on, more by the sufferAt one of the fashionable parties where the ings of those she held dear than by her own, noble bard was present, His Majesty, then she summoned up resolution to wait on Lord Prince Regent, entered the room: Lord By- Byron at his apartments in the Albany, and ron was at some distance at the time, but, on ask his subscription to a volume of poems: learning who he was, His Royal Highness she had no previous knowledge of him except sent a gentleman to him to desire that he from his works, but from the boldness and would be presented. Of course the presenta- feeling expressed in them, she concluded that tion took place; the Regent expressed his he must be a man of kind heart and amiable admiration of "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," disposition. Experience did not disappoint and entered into a conversation which so fas-her, and though she entered the apartment cinated the poet, that had it not been for an with faltering steps and a palpitating heart, accident which deferred a levee intended to she soon found courage to state her request, have been held the next day, he would have which she did in the most simple and delicate gone to court. Soon after, however, an unfortunate influence counteracted the effect of royal praise, and Lord Byron permitted himself to write and speak disrespectfully of the Prince.

The whole of Byron's political career may be summed up in the following anecdotes:

manner: he heard it with the most marked attention and the keenest sympathy; and when she had ceased speaking, he, as if to avert her thoughts from a subject which could not be but painful to her, began to converse in words so fascinating, and tones so gentle, that she hardly perceived he had been writThe Earl of Carlisle having declined to in- ing, until he put a folded slip of paper into her troduce Lord Byron to the House of Peers. hand, saying it was his subscription, and that be resolved to introduce himself, and accord-be most heartily wished her success. "But," ingly went there a little before the usual hour, added he, "we are both young, and the world when he knew few of the lords would be is very censorious, and so if I were to take present. On entering, he appeared rather any active part in procuring subscribers to abashed, and looked very pale, but, passing your poems, I fear it would do you harm rather the woolsack, where the Chancellor (Lord than good." The young lady, overpowered Eldon) was engaged in some of the ordinary by the prudence and delicacy of his conduct, routine of the house, he went directly to the took her leave, and upon opening in the street table, where the oaths were administered to the paper, which in her agitation she had not Lim in the usual manner. The Lord Chan-previously looked at, she found it was a draft cellor then approached, and offered his hand upon his banker for fifty pounds! in the most open familiar manner, congratu- The enmity that Byron entertained towards lating him on his taking possession of his seat. the Earl of Carlisle, was owing to two causes: Lord Byron only placed the tips of his fingers the Earl had spoken 1ather irreverently of in the Chancellor's hand; the latter returned the "Hours of Idleness," when Byron exto his seat, and Byron, after lounging a few pected, as a relation, that he would have minutes on one of the opposition benches, re-countenanced it. He had morcover refused tired. To his friend, Mr. Dallas, who followed to introduce his kinsman to the House of him out, he gave as a reason for not entering Lords, even, it is said, somewhat doubting his into the spirit of the Chancellor, "that it right to a seat in that honourable house. might have been supposed he would join the court party, whereas he intended to have nothing at all to do with politics."

The Earl of Carlisle was a great admirer of the classic drama, and once published a sixpenny pamphlet, in which he strenuously He only addressed the house three times: argued in behalf of the propriety and necesthe first of his speeches was on the Frame-sity of small theatres: on the same day that work Bill; the second in favour of the Cat-this weighty publication appeared, he sub

scribed a thousand pounds for some public then took "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage" from purpose. On this occasion, Byron composed the following epigram:

"Carlisle subscribes a thousand pound
Out of his rich domains;

And for a sixpence circles round
The produce of his brains:

"T is thus the difference you may hit
Between his fortune and his wit."

Byron retained his antipathy to this relative to the last. On reading some lines in the newspapers addressed to Lady Holland by the Earl of Carlisle, persuading her to reject the snuff-box bequeathed to her by Napoleon, beginning:

"Lady, reject the gift," etc.

a trunk, and delivered it to him. Mr. Dallas, having read the poem, was in raptures with it; he instantly resolved to do his utmost in suppressing the "Hints from Horace," and to bring out Childe Harold. He urged Byron to publish this last poem; but he was unwilling, and preferred to have the "Hints" published. He would not be convinced of the great merit of the "Childe," and as some person had seen it before Mr. Dallas, and expressed disapprobation, Byron was by no In a short time afterwards, however, he agreed means sure of its kind reception by the world. to its publication, and requested Mr. Dallas not to deal with Cawthorn, but offer it to Miller of Albemarle street: he wished a fashion

he immediately wrote the following parody: able publisher; but Miller declined it, chiefly

"Lady, accept the gift a hero wore,

In spite of all this elegiac stuff:

Let not seven stanzas written by a bore

on account of the strictures it contained on Lord Elgin, whose publisher he was. Longman had refused to publish the "Satire," and Prevent your ladyship from taking snuff.” Byron would not suffer any of his works to Sir Lumley Skeffington had written a tra- come from that house: the work was theregedy, called, if we remember right, "The fore carried to Mr. Murray, who then kept a Mysterious Bride," which was fairly damned shop opposite St. Dunstan's church in Fleet on the first night: a masquerade took place street. Mr. Murray had expressed a desire soon after this fatal catastrophe, to which went to publish for Lord Byron, and regretted that John Cam Hobhouse, as a Spanish nun who Mr. Dallas had not taken the "English Bards had been ravished by the French army, and and Scotch Reviewers" to him; but this was was under the protection of his lordship. after its success.

Skeffington, compassionating the unfortunate Byron fell into company with Hogg, the young woman, asked, in a very sentimental Ettrick Shepherd, at the Lakes. The Shepmanner, of Byron, "who is she?" "The Mys-side, when forth came a strapping young man herd was standing at the inn-door of Ambleterious Bride," replied his lordship.

On Byron's return from his first tour, Mr. from the house, and off with his hat, and out Dallas called upon him, and, after the usual with his hand. Hogg did not know him, and, salutations had passed, inquired if he was pre-him by saying, "Mr. Hogg, I hope you will appearing at a dead halt, the other relieved pared with any other work to support the fame which he had already acquired. Byron help thinking that we ought to hold ourselves excuse me; my name is Byron, and I cannot then delivered for his examination a poem, acquainted." The poets accordingly shook entitled "Hints from Horace," being a para-hands immediately, and, while they continued phrase of the art of poetry. Mr. Dallas prom- at the Lakes, were hand and glove, drank ised to superintend the publication of this piece as he had done that of the satire, and, bards. On Byron's leaving the Lakes, he sent furiously together, and laughed at their brother accordingly, it was carried to Cawthorn the bookseller, and matters arranged; but Mr. Hogg a letter quizzing the Lakists, which the Dallas, not thinking the poem likely to in- Shepherd was so mischievous as to show to crease his lordship's reputation, allowed it to linger in the press. It began thus:

them.

When residing at Mitylene in the year 1812, he portioned eight young girls very libe

"Who would not laugh if Lawrence, hired to grace rally, and even danced with them at the mar

His costly canvas with each flatter'd face,
Abused his art, till Nature with a blush

Saw cits grow centaurs underneath his brush?
Or should some limner join, for show or sale,

A maid of honour to a mermaid's tail;
Or Low D*** (as once the world has seen)
Degrade God's creatures in his graphic spleen-
Not all that forced politeness which defends
Fools in their faults, could gag his grinning friends.
Believe me, Moschus, like that picture seems
The book which, sillier than a sick man's dreams,
Displays a crowd of figures incomplete,
Poetic nightmares, without head or feet."

riage feast; he gave a cow to one man, horses to another, and cotton and silk to several girls who lived by weaving these materials: he also bought a new boat for a fisherman who had lost his own in a gale, and he often gave Greek testaments to the poor children.

While at Metaxata, in 1823, an embankment, at which several persons had been engaged digging, fell in, and buried some of them alive: he was at dinner when he heard of the accident, and, starting up from the table, ran to the spot, accompanied by his phyMr. Dallas expressed his sorrow that his sician, who took a supply of medicines with lordship had written nothing else. Byron then him. The labourers who were employed to told him that he had occasionally composed extricate their companions, soon became some verses in Spenser's measure, relative to alarmed for themselves, and refused to go on, the countries he had visited. "They are not saying, they believed they had dug out all the worth troubling you with," said his lordship, bodies which had been covered by the ruins. but you shall have them all with you:" he Lord Byron endeavoured to induce them to

continue their exertions, but finding menaces persuaded that in declining my offer, she was in vain, he seized a spade and began to dig governed by the influence of her mother; and most zealously; at length the peasantry joined was the more confirmed in this opinion by her him, and they succeeded in saving two more reviving our correspondence herself, twelve persons from certain death. months after. The tenor of her letter was, that although she could not love me, she desired my friendship. Friendship is a dangerous word for young ladies; it is love full-fledged, and waiting for a fine day to fly.

It is stated in the "Conversations," that Byron was engaged in several duels, that in one instance he was himself principal in an "affair of honour" with Hobhouse, and would have been so in another with Moore, if the Bard of Erin's challenge had been properly forwarded to him.

"I was not so young when my father died, but that I perfectly remember him, and had very early a horror of matrimony from the On the 2d of January, 1815, Lord Byron sight of domestic broils: this feeling came married, at Seaham, in the county of Durham, over me very strongly at my wedding. SomeAnne Isabella, only daughter of Sir Ralph thing whispered me that I was sealing my own Millbank (since Noel), Bart. To this lady he death-warrant. I am a great believer in prehad made a proposal twelve months before, sentiments; Socrates' demon was not a ficbut was rejected: well would it have been for tion; Monk Lewis had his monitor; and Natheir mutual happiness had that rejection been poleon many warnings. At the last moment, repeated. After their marriage, Lord and I would have retreated if I could have done Lady Byron took a house in London; gave so; I called to mind a friend of mine, who had splendid dinner-parties; kept separate car- married a young, beautiful, and rich girl, and riages; and, in short, launched into every sort yet was miserable; he had strongly urged me of fashionable extravagance. This could not against putting my neck in the same yoke: last long; the portion which his lordship had and, to show you how firmly I was resolved to received with Miss Millbank (ten thousand attend to his advice, I betted Hay fifty guineas pounds) soon melted away; and, at length, an to one that I should always remain single. Six execution was actually levied on the furniture years afterwards, I sent him the money. The of his residence. It was then agreed that day before I proposed to Lady Byron, I had Lady Byron, who, on the 10th of December, no idea of doing so. 1815, had presented her lord with a daughter, "It had been predicted by Mrs. Williams, should pay a visit to her father till the storm that twenty-seven was to be a dangerous age was blown over, and some arrangements had for me; the fortune-telling witch was right,been made with their creditors. From that it was destined to prove so. I shall never forvisit she never returned, and a separation en- get the 2d of January! Lady Byron, (Byrn, sued, for which various reasons have been he pronounced it,) was the only unconcerned assigned; the real cause or causes, however, person present; Lady Noel, her mother, cried; of that regretted event, are up to this moment I trembled like a leaf, made the wrong reinvolved in mystery, though, as might be ex-sponses, and, after the ceremony, called her pected, a wonderful sensation was excited at Miss Millbank.

the time, and every description of contra- "There is a singular history attached to the dictory rumour was in active circulation. ring; the very day the match was concluded, Byron was first introduced to Miss Mill-a ring of my mother's that had been lost, was bank at Lady's. In going up stairs he dug up by the gardener at Newstead. I thought stumbled, and remarked to Moore, who ac- it was sent on purpose for the wedding; but companied him, that it was a bad omen. On my mother's marriage had not been a fortuentering the room, he perceived a lady more nate one, and this ring was doomed to be the simply dressed than the rest sitting on a sofa. seal of an unhappier union still. He asked Moore if she was a humble companion to any of the ladies. The latter replied, She is a great heiress; you'd better marry her, and repair the old place Newstead."

"After the ordeal was over, we set off for a country-seat of Sir Ralph's, and I was surprised at the arrangements for the journey, and somewhat out of humour to find a lady's maid stuck between me and my bride. It was rather too early to assume the husband, so I was forced to submit; but it was not with a very good grace.

The following anecdotes on the subject of this unfortunate marriage, are given from Lord Byron's Conversations, in his own words: "There was something piquant, and what we term pretty, in Miss Millbank; her fea- "I have been accused of saying, on getting tures were small and feminine, though not into the carriage, that I had married Lady regular; she had the fairest skin imaginable; Byron out of spite, and because she had reher figure was perfect for her height, and there fused me twice. Though I was for a moment was a simplicity, a retired modesty about her, vexed at her prudery, or whatever it may be which was very characteristic, and formed a called, if I had made so uncavalier, not to say happy contrast to the cold artificial formality brutal, a speech, I am convinced Lady Byron and studied stiffness, which is called fashion: would instantly have left the carriage to me sne interested me exceedingly. It is unne- and the maid, (I mean the lady's); she had cessary to detail the progress of our acquaint-spirit enough to have done so, and would propance: I became daily more attached to her, erly have resented the affront.

and it ended in my making her a proposal that "Our honey-moon was not all sunshine; was rejected; her refusal was couched in it had its clouds; and Hobhouse has some letterma that could not offend me. I was besides ters which would serve to explain the rise and