6

-"I should not like to have you for a critic,' I observed.
• Set a thief to catch a thief,' was the reply.'
(Thus we see that his Lordship was not so peremptory

in asserting his own originality, as some of his hot friends
and admirers were in this country, when his plagiarisms
were pointed out in the Literary Gazette.)

in very close contact. His coat, or more properly jacket, or waistcoat with sleeves to it, which he tommonly wore

without any other waistcoat, was of a drab colour. His linen came not from Holland or Hibernia, but was spun and bleached by his wife, and woven at Hurworth, being calculated more for warmth and duration than for show, He had a singular custom of frequently wearing, esp ally in cold weather, his shirt with the wrong side befit, and buttoned behind the neck. But this was not an sc tation of singularity; for Emerson had no affectation abou him, though his customs and manners were singular: he had a reason for it,-he seldom buttoned more than twe

"But there was another reason that influenced me, more even than my cool resentment against Jeffrey, to suppress English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. In the duel scene I had unconsciously made a part of the ridicule to fall on Moore. The fact was, that there was no imputation on the courage of either of the principals. One of the balls fell out in the carriage and was lost; and the "I never travel without Scott's Novels,' said he, seconds, not having a further supply, drew the remaining they are a perfect library in themselves; a perfect literary one. Shortly after this publication I went abroad, and treasure. I could read them once a year with new pleaMoore was so offended by the mention of the leadless pissure.' I asked him if he was certain about the novels tols, that he addressed a letter to me, in the nature of a being Sir Walter Scott's. challenge, delivering it to the care of Mr. Hanson, but without acquainting him with the contents. This letter was mislaid; at least never forwarded to me. But on my return to England in 1812, an inquiry was made by Moore it I had received such a letter, adding, that particular cir- Scott, entirely off his guard, said, Aye, I ought to have/ or three of the buttons of his waistcoat, one or two at the cumstances (meaning his marriage, or perhaps the suppression of my satire) had now altered his situation, and that he wished to recal the letter, and to be known to me through Rogers. I was shy of this mode of arranging matters one hand presenting a pistol, and another held out to shake; and felt awkward at the loss of a letter of such a nature, and the imputations it might have given rise to; but when, after a considerable search, it was at length found, I returned it to Moore,,with the seal unbroken; and we have since been the best friends in the world. I correspond with no one so regularly as with Moore."

"Scott as much as owned himself the author of Waverley to me, at Murray's shop. I was talking to him about that novel, and lamented that its author had not carried back the story nearer to the time of the revolution. done so, but there he stopped. It was in vain to at- bottom, and sometimes one at the top, leaving all the rest tempt to correct himself; he looked confused, and relieved open. In wind, rain, or snow, therefore, he must have his embarrassment by a precipitate retreat ---- He spoiled found the aperture at the breast inconvenient, if his shirt the fame of his poetry by his superior prose.. He has such had been put on in the usual manner. His breeches had extent and versatility of powers in writing, that, should his novels ever tire the public, which is not likely, he an antique appearance, the lappet before not being p will apply himself to something else, and succeed as well. ported by two buttons, placed in a line parallel to the His mottos from old plays prove that he at all events pos- plane of the horizon, but by buttons descending in i line sesses the dramatic faculty which is denied me, and yet I perpendicular to it. In cold weather he used to wear, am told that his Halidon Hill did not justify expectation. when he grew old, what he called shin covers. Now the I have never met with, but have seen extracts from it. "When Walter Scott began to write poetry, which shin covers were made of old sacking, tied with a string was not at a very early age, Monk Lewis corrected his about the knee, and depending before the shins down to verses; he understood little then of the mechanical part the shoe: they were useful in preserving his legs from be of his art. The Fire King in the minstrelsey of the Scot-ing burnt, when he sat too near the fire, which old per tish Border was almost all Lewis's. One of the ballads in are apt to do; and if they had their use, he was not s that work, and except some of Leyden's, perhaps one of the best, was made from a story picked up in a stage- citous about the figure or appearance they might make coach,-I mean that of Will Jones:

I

'They boiled Will Jones within the pot,
And not much fat had Will.'

hope Walter Scott did not write the review of Christa-
bel, for he, in common with many of us, is indebted to
Coleridge. But for him perhaps the Lay of the Last
Minstrel would never have been thought of. The line

But the following part of the relation of his Lordship's bitter quarrel with Southey, touches us more nearly. Some days after a discussion on the subject (and which is detailed more at large in the Miscellany, to which we must again refer) with his Lordship, Captain M. continues, appeared Mr. Southey's reply to the note in question. I happened to see the Literary Gazette at Mr. Edgeworth's and mentioned the general purport of the letter to Lord Byron during our evening ride. His anxiety to get a sight of it was so great, that he wrote me two notes in the course of the evening, entreating me to procure the paper. I at length succeeded, and took it to the Lanfranchi palace at eleven o'clock (after coming from the Opera) an hour at which I was frequently in the habit of calling on him en passant. He had left the Countess Guiccioli earlier than usual; and I found him waiting with some impatience. I never shall forget his countenance, as he glanced rapidly over the contents. He looked perfectly awful. His colour changed almost prismatically. His lips were as pale as death. He said not a word. He read the paper a second time, and with more attention than his rage at first permitted, commenting on some of the passages as he went When he had finished, he threw down the paper, and asked me if I thought there was any thing of a personal nature in the reply that demanded satisfaction, as if there was, SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF MR. WIL- down he would hag (that is, hew) his legs off. This of

on.

'Jesu Maria, shield us well!'

is taken word for word from Coleridge's poem. Of all the
writers of the day. Walter Scott is the least jealous. He
is too confident of his own fame to dread the rivalry of
others. He does not think of good writing as the Tuscans
do about fever, that there is only a certain quantity of it in
the world.".

Biography.

LIAM EMERSON. (Continued from our last.)

he would instantly set off for England, and call Southey
to an account; muttering something about whips, and
branding irons, and gibbets, and wounding the heart of a
woman words of Mr. Southey's. I said that as to per-
We shall now take a view of Mr. Emerson in his pri-
sonality, his own expressions of cowardly ferocity, piti-vate life, as a man and a member of society. Mr. Emer-
ful renegadoship,' &c. were much stronger than any in son was in person something below the common size, but
the letter before me. He paused a moment, and said, firm, compact, well made, and very active and strong.
Perhaps you are right; but I will consider. of it. You He had a good, open, expressive countenance, with a
have not seen my Vision of Judgment; I wish I had a
copy to show you; but the only one I have is in London.
I had almost decided not to publish it; but it shall now
go forth to the world. I will write to Douglas Kinnaird by
to-morrow's post-to-night-not to delay its appearance.
The question is, whom to get to print it. Murray will
have nothing to say to it just now, while the prosecution
of Cain' hangs over his head. It was offered to Long.
man; but he declined it, on the plea of its injuring the
sale of Southey's hexameters, of which he is the pub-

This singularity of dress and figure, together with th character for profound learning and knowledge, ca him to be considered, by ignorant and illiterate people i the neighbourhood, as a wise or cunning man, or cons Tor: many of them are still persuaded that he was sat and will tell you wonderful stories of the feats he p formed, and particularly how, by virtue of a magic spell he pinned a fellow in the top of his pear or cherry tree, who had got there with a design to steal his fruit, and compelled him to sit there a whole Sunday's forenoon, in full view of the congregation going to and returning free church. That he did compel a man to sit for some time in the tree, I believe was a fact, not; however, by virtue of a magic spell, but by standing at the bottom of the t with a hatchet in his hand, and swearing, that if he came nion of his skill in the black art, was of service in def ing his property from such depredations, and ther it would have been impolitic to discourage it: but be apt to lose his patience very much when he was applied for the recovery of stolen goods, or to investigate the crets of futurity. A woman came one day to him to quire about her husband, who had gone six years be to the West Indies or America, and had not been heard since. She requested therefore to be informed whether i was dead or living, as a man in her neighbourhoods made proposals of marriage to her. It was with much ficulty the supposed prophet repressed the rising till the conclusion of the tale; when rising hasti the tripod, or three-footed stool, on which he usually in terms more energetic than ever issued from the shre at Delphi, he gave this plain and unequivocal respas "D-n thee for a b―h, thy husband is gone to bell, a One of these hats, of immense superficies, had, in length thou may go after him." The woman went away w "Lord Byron was devouring, as he called it, a new of time, lost its elasticity, and the brim of it began to pleased and satisfied with the answer she had rece novel of Walter Scott's. How difficult it is,' said he, droop in such a manner as to prevent his being able to thinking she might now listen to the proposals of a to say any thing new! Who was that voluptuary of view objects before him in a direct line. This was not to lover with a safe conscience. Another, a young antiquity who offered a reward for a new pleasure? Perhaps all nature and art could not supply a new idea. This be endured by an optician: he therefore took a pair of a similar errand, met with a milder reception. Her page, for instance, is a brilliant one. It is full of wit; sheers, and cut it round close by the body of the hat, leav-tress had lost some caps, or linen, and she wanted to k but let us see how much of it is original. This passage, ing a little to the front, which he dexterously rounded into whether her fellow-servant, of whom she entertained for instance, comes from Shakspeare; this bon mot from the resemblance of the nib of a jockey's cap. His wig picions, had purloined them or not. one of Sheridan's Comedies; this observation from anwas made of brown or dirty coloured hair, which at first young lass," replied the smiling conjuror, "but th other,' naming the author; and yet the ideas are new modelled, and perhaps Scott was not aware of their being appeared bushy and tortuous behind, but which grew pen- over lat o' coming, I can do nought for thee." The p plagiarisms. It is a bad thing to have too good a memory." dulous through age, till at length it became quite straight, girl went away grieved that she had not made her sp *This we know is not the fact. The MS. was returned having, probably, never undergone the operation of the cation sooner, supposing he meant, that the myster from Messrs. Longman's to Mr. Douglas Kinnaird, through comb: and either through the original mal-conformation moment of divination was passed. He was by many pr whom it was offered, declining the publication, but no reason of the wig, or from a custom he had of frequently insert-ple also looked upon as an Atheist; but he was as m whatever was assigned for adopting that determination.- ing his hand beneath it, his hind-head and wig were not an Atheist as he was a magician. He firmly believed s

6

lisher. Hunt shall have it."

Our concluding extract is also extremely interesting; and especially to us, for the acknowledgment of plagiarism which, however sportively given, it contains

ruddy complexion, a keen and penetrating eye, and an
ardour and eagerness of look that was very expressive of
the texture of his mind. His dress was very simple and
plain, or what, by the generality of people, perhaps, would
have been called grotesque and shabby. A very few hats
served him through the whole course of his life, and when
he purchased one, or indeed any other article of dress, it
was a matter of perfect indifference to him whether the
form and fashion of it was that of the day, or of half
century before.

a

damsel,

66 Thou's a ca

Literature, Criticism, &c.

LEARNED QUOTATIONS AGAIN.

bred combatants.

TO THE EDITOR.

I

turn? He advances his "of course" very freely, but it the being of a God; he did not believe it, as he sometimes does not appear quite so clear to me. If the Latin is now said; he knew it, he was certain of it to a demonstration. quite so generally diffused as he says, I do not exactly see But it must be acknowledged that he did not always speak why he should take it for granted, that all the ladies are of revealed religion, the church of England, or the clergy, ignorant of it; they surely have quite as much access to in terms of respect. It has often been observed and lalearning as gentlemen, at least to so much of it, as will mented, that minds merely mathematical, are apt to tend wands scepticism and irreligion. The man who is always SIR,-There are but few things that afford me greater enable them to make out a quotation. I have, myself, the customed to demonstrative proofs, and wholly engaged pleasure than the proofs of union and good fellowship pleasure of being acquainted with several, who know a science which admits of them at every step, will not so which the members of a family give to each other in cases good deal more than that, and who not only do not want asily acquiesce in a series of probabilities, where investi- of common distress; and I am happy to acknowledge that the assistance of their male friends for such a purpose, but gations of another kind are presented to him; and per- the conduct of Mr. Y. Z. does him infinite credit. Your are even able enough to dispute a doubtful passage; and haps will not have patience to examine circumstances elder correspondent, Z. has but lately refused to acknow- advise Y. Z. to be on his guard in that respect: disputes deeply enough to ascertain on which side there is a pre-ledge him as a cousin; and yet he no sooner apprehends with ladies are always awkward; but literary disputes pouderacy of evidence, amounting nearly to demonstra- danger to the family interest, than he immediately forgets are particularly to be avoided; because they place the union. Besides, Dr. Johnson's treatment of him, which I ave mentioned before, might produce a bias on his mind his private quarrel, and nobly resolves to oppose the com- fortunate male interlocutor in the unpleasant dilemma of mon enemy. This is as it ought to be; and I cannot but appearing deficient either in politeness, or in erudition. afavourable to religion. A man of his natural impetuosity applaud it: but you may naturally suppose, that I, too, Still all this only applies, comparatively, to few people, temper would be too apt to associate the idea of the have many cousins (of both sexes) and that they would and I am fully convinced that a great majority of your rofession, with that of the professor; and because he had have but little cause to thank me for having agitated their readers are rather annoyed than pleased with untranslated arrelled with the priest, would also quarrel with his octrine. Under the influence of this prepossession he set claims, if I were to relinquish them out of mere personal quotations. I really cannot conceive why there should regard for a brave opponent; and since the gauntlet has be such a pertinacious unwillingness in learned men to imself to work to examine the scriptures of the Old and been taken up, it is my duty to appear in the lists which comply with what could but redound to their own credit; New Testaments, and collected two small 4to. volumes of bat he conceived to be contradictory passages, and ar- you have so obligingly thrown open for the exercise of well-for, granting that there is no great merit in translating, there is still less glory to be derived from a mere copy: aged them, like hostile troops confronting each other, and when a man confesses that he is incapable of comthe opposite pages of his book. His diet was as simple and plain as his dress, and his municating his knowledge in the language of his own country, he makes one of the most degrading admissions als gave little interruption to his studies, employments, I can imagine. I do not mean to say that he should be amusements. During his days of close application, he always ready to speak or to write with classical elegance, Flom sat down to eat, but would take a piece of cold pie but I maintain that he should always try to do his meat of any kind in his hand, and retiring with it to best; and that, so long as he finds himself deficient in the place of study, would satisfy his appetite for knowvernacular tongue, he has no great reason to boast of his and food at the same time. He catered for himself, literary acquirements. pretty constantly made his own market. When his ok of groceries, or other necessaries in the article of sekeeping, grew low on the Monday morning, he took allet, which he slung obliquely across his shoulders, forward for the Darlington market, three miles from Hurworth, whither he always walked on he seldom or never kept a horse, and had an sion to riding. He would frequently lead the horse, Quotations were not called Gothic and barbarous bebe had one, from market, by the halter, bearing the cause they were written in dead languages, but because allet stuffed with the provisions he had bought at mar- they were introduced during barbarous times, and because Aber having provided all the necessary articles, he the cultivation of modern languages has superseded the Bot always make directly home again, but, if he The example of d good fair ale, and company to his mind, he would necessity of continuing the practice. elf down contentedly in some public house, for Lord Byron in support of the contrary opinion is very bad For remainder of the day, and frequently during the night authority; for we all know that his Lordship was seldom * sometimes he did not reach home till late on Tues-over-scrupulous about the means when the end was to or even on Wednesday: he remained talking or dis- produce effect, or to satisfy his passions. g on various topics,-mechanics, politics, or religion, Yet, who has said that Homer and Virgil must now his company might be; varying the scene somewith a beef-steak, mutton-chop, or a pan of cockles; be completely concealed from the common people? Not remarkable that ale did not injure, but rather im- I, I am sure. So far from it, I have invited, and do bis appetite; and that he never felt the head-ache, hereby once more invite, the learned gentlemen, who immediate ill effects afterwards. In these durable wish to favour us with the fruits of their study, to comhe would sometimes indulge, not only at Darbut in Hurworth, or some neighbouring village, municate, in good English, whatever interesting matter always in an alehouse, for he kept no stock of ale at may occur to them in the course of their reading. I am and he was upon all occasions rigidly exact in appor- aware that the personal importance of some of our schoeach man's quota of the reckoning. The last time lars might thereby suffer some slight diminution; but de an excursion to Darlington with his wallet, our phi- when we remember all the fine examples of modesty, er made a figure truly conspicuous: this was the only I believe, he had ever rode thither; and he was then disinterestedness, and magnanimity, which they are con- wrong quarter. on a quadruped, whose intrinsic value, indepen- tinually studying, we can scarcely suppose them un-should have given a good set down to the rude pedant of the skin, might be fairly estimated at half-a-crown. able to add, now and then, a little practice to their theory. who had the impertinence to dispute the originality of his g preceded and led by a boy hired for that purpose, There seems to exist but one plausible cause for consi- remark. Whatever was true in the times of Solomon, of crawled in slow and solemn state, at the rate of a mile half in an hour, till, in due time, he arrived at Dar- deration, and your correspondent has so honestly and Socrates, and of Cato, is also true at the present moment: and was conducted in the same state, to the great candidly brought it forward that he actually excites my, if people reason well, and reflect on the same subjects, tainment of the spectators, through the streets to the sympathy, and I wish to be as accommodating as possible.. on which other good reasoners have reflected before them, where he wished to refresh himself and his beast. He says:-"If a person cannot understand Latin him- they will come to the same conclusions as their preat idea Emerson himself entertained of the velocity self, he may have recourse to some kind friend. The fair sex, decessors; and social intercourse would not be much prowhich the animal could move, appears from this, when a neighbour of his from Hurworth asked him, of course, would be obliged to do this," and so on. Now, moted by a system which should impose the obligation rds the evening, if he was going home,-"D-n thee, this is really a charming picture, and I fancy I can enter of an inquiry into the originality of the ideas which a mán hey what dost thou want with my going home?" into its spirit. A fair lady requesting the learned scholar may choose to communicate. The reputation of a downDaly (says the man) because I should be glad of your to translate, and he opening his lips with the satisfied, right plagiary cannot last long, and he generally finishes pany. "Thou fool, thou! (rejoined the other) thou'lt home long enough before me, man; thou walk and I yet reserved, consciousness of acknowledged superiority: with being the only dupe of his imposition; for the diffu We must observe, that such expressions as "d-n-oh, happy moment! thrice-blessed study! all cares, sion of a good thing can do no harm to society, whether and thou fool," were mere expletives often with privations, sufferings, and buffettings of the world are the author be ascertained or not.-I am, very respectfully. expressive neither of indignation nor contempt. forgotten at once: and whatever is, is right. But is yours, our friend so very sure that matters will never take a worse

Y. Z. says, the rejection of Latin quotations argues a want of moderate and liberal education; but it appears to me that it argues no such thing. When people have learned what their duty requires them to know, their education has not been neglected; and a knowledge of Latin is by no means indispensible to the generality of mankind: they have, therefore, not the slightest occasion to be ashamed of their ignorance in that respect. In the meantime, they have a right to look out for amusement and instruction in The authority of Dr. Collyer, against Greece, is very their own way; and when they subscribe to an English publication, for which they pay in English money, they formidable; but it will not bear examination. The morals are entitled to expect such language as they can under. and the philosophy of a nation cannot be stolen; for, though stand, and such subjects as will interest them; they form other nations may acquire them, the original possessore the majority, and it is but just that they should be at-lose nothing by that; and they are at perfect liberty to tended to in preference to the minority.

[To be continued.]

practice them as before. If they suffer themselves to be outdone by the new practitioners, they undoubtedly deserve the appellation of barbarians: because neglect of improvement is the characteristic mark of barbarism. Besides, your correspondent clears the Greeks from the charge of meanness, by supposing that they would perhaps have quoted, if they had had Kaleidoscopes. This I will not take upon myself to decide; but, in as far we are able to judge from their written remains, they were certainly not inclined that way; they were too intent upon their own concerns, to lose much time and labour about what had gone by. The period in which they themselves lived appeared to them the most important; and this is precisely what made them act with so much energy. If we could but make up our minds, to imitate them a little in that, our advances would soon be proportionate.

The anecdote with the Irish bull is not quite so good as what the French poet, Piron, has said on the same subject in his Metromanie; but the Hibernian's indignation was not unjust; it was only directed towards the Instead of blaming the ancients, he

ANTI-BARBARUS, JUNIOR.

Liverpool, October 19, 1824.

Gentle mourner, not alone,

One there is who hears thy moan,
One who lends a pitying ear,

And marks the sigh, and notes the tear;

Christ our refuge 'mid the storm,

Only anchor sure and firm!

Mortal promise fades away,

Human hopes, oh! what are they? The fabric on the baseless sand, The wreck upon the treacherous strand; The vapour on the mountain's side, A straw upon the restless tide! Wouldst thou gain a shelter sure, Formed through ages to endure; Wouldst thou steer thy fragile bark In safety o'er the billows dark; Seek Religion, power divine, And round thy heart her olives twine! Hers the calm no ills destroy, Hers the joys that never cloy, Hers the hopes that never fade, Hers the light that knows no shade; Hers the deepest gloom to cheer, Hers to dry the saddest tear! Hers, when weary and alone, All our earthly comforts flown; Hers, when swell the billows high, And anguish breathes in every sigh, Hers to shed a brightening ray. Worlds cannot give, or take away; Place, oh, place thy hopes in heaven, And doubt not thence shall strength be given To bear thee through the toilsome road, The pilgrim's destined path to God; And having death's cold pillow prest, How lasting and how sweet thy rest!

THE SUBJECT of eighT VARIATIONS, BY C. CZERNEY.*

Biographical Notice.

LORD BYRON.

(Concluded from our lust.)

awaited him. He imagined that he was laying up a grea
capital at compound interest. He reckoned upon a large
return of gratitude and devotion, and was not content with
the instant recompence which charity receives. They
understand the principles of human action know that
consciousness and sympathy; and that if he does, he
foolish in a benefactor to look further than the pleasu
creditor, and not a donor, and must be content
viewed as creditors are always viewed by their deta
On this mistake we
with distrust and uneasiness.
feelings, true to nature, and not obeying the false direc
founded most of his charges against human life; but s
tion of his prejudices and erroneous opinions, still made
him love his kind with an ardour which removed him as
far as possible from misanthropy.

writing was his high respect for himself. He had a va
Another cause of Lord Byron's misanthropical tum ef
reverence for his own person, and all he did and thought
of doing, inculcated into him, as into other Lords, by
mothers, governors, grooms, and nurse-maids. When be
observed another man neglecting his wants for the sake of
some petty gratification of his own, it appeared to hin
very base in the individual, and a general charge against
all mankind; he was positively filled with indignation
scorn, that one of his relatives accompanied a female friend
He mentions somewhere in his works, with becoming
to a milliner's, in preference to coming to take leave of him
when he was going abroad. The fact is, no one ever loved
his fellow-man more than Lord Byron; he stood in t
tinual need of his sympathy, his respect, his affection,
attentions; and he was proportionably disgusted and
pressed when they were found wanting; this was foodi
enough, but he was not much of a reasoner on these
points; he was a poet,

could have more sane notions than Lord Byron. Mercenary warfare, and the life-and-death struggle of oppressed men for freedom are very different things; ard Lord Byron felt a military ardour in Greece which he was too wise a man ever to have felt under other circumstances. He was Strong, over-ruling, and irregular as was Lord Byron's helmet made, and other armour, in which to lead the at one time in Greece absolutely soldier-mad; he had a imagination-a rich vice which inspired him with his Suliotes to the storming of Lepanto, and thought of nopoetry, and which is too surely but the disease of a great thing but of guns and of blunderbusses. It is very natural mind-strong as was this imagination-sensitive and susceptible as it was to all external influence; yet Lord to suppose that a man of an enthusiastic turn, tired of Byron's reasoning faculties were by no means of a low look to the bustle, the adventure, the moving accidents by every-day enjoyments, in succouring the Greeks, would order; but they had never been cultivated; and without flood and field, as sources of great enjoyment; but allowcultivation, whether by spontaneous exertion, or under ing for the romantic character of Guerilla warfare in Greece, the guidance of discipline, to expect a man to be a good for the excessively unromantic nature of projects for estareasoner even on the common affairs of life, is to expect ablishing schools and printing presses in safe places, where crop where the seed has not been sown, or where the weeds the Turks never or very seldom reach-allowing for these, have been suffered to choke the corn. Lord Byron was yet they were not the causes of his Lordship's hostility to shrewd, formed frequently judicious conclusions, and these peaceful but important instruments in propagating though he did not reason with any accuracy or certainty, happiness: he was ignorant of the science of civilization, very often hit upon the right. He had occasional glimpses, and he was jealous of those who both knew it and pracand deep ones too, into the nature of the institutions of tised it, and consequently were doing more good than society, and the foundations of morals, and by his expe- himself, and began to be more thought about, too, in spite rience of the passions of men, speculated ably upon human of his Lordship's money, which in Greece is certainly very life; yet withal he was any thing but logical or scientific. Uncertain and wavering, he never knew himself whether had a kind of veneration for Lord Byron, on account of little short of being all-powerful. The Greeks, it is true, he was right or wrong, and was always obliged to write his having sung the praises of Greece; but the thing which and feel for the moment on the supposition that his opinion caused his arrival to make so great a sensation there, was was the true one. He used to declare that he had no fixed the report that he was immensely rich, and had brought a principles; which means he knew nothing scientifically. ship full of sallars (as they call dollars) to pay off all their In politics, for instance, he was a lover of liberty, from arrears: so that as soon as it was understood he had arprejudice, habit, or some vague notion that it was generous rived, the Greek fleet was presently set in motion to the to be so; but in what liberty really consists-how it ope- port where he was stationed-was very soon in a state of rates for the advantage of mankind-how it is to be ob- the most pressing distress, and nothing could relieve it but tained, secured, regulated, he was as ignorant as a child. a loan of £4,000 from his Lordship, which loan was evenWhile he was in Greece, almost every elementary ques- tually obtained (though with a small difficulty), and then tion of government was necessarily to be discussed; such the Greek fleet sailed away, and left his Lordship's person monkeys, which he thought exorbitantly dear, and refused One day when Fletcher, his valet, was cheapening om was the crisis of Greek affairs, about all of which he showed to be nearly taken by the Turks in crossing the Misso- to purchase without abatement, his master said to him. himself perfectly ignorant. In the case of the press, for longhi, as another vessel which contained his suite and his Buy them, buy them, Fletcher; I like them better than instance, and in all questions relating to publicity, he was stores actually were captured, though afterwards released. men-they amuse, and never plague me." In the same completely wrong. He saw nothing but a few immediate It was this money, too, which charmed the Prince Mauro- spirit is his epitaph on his Newfoundland dog spint effects, which appeared to him pernicious or the contrary, cordato, who did not sail away with his fleet, but stayed partly affected and partly genuine. and he set himself against or in behalf of the press accord-behind, thinking more was to be obtained, as more indeed, ingly. Lord Byron complaining of the licentiousness of was, and the whole consumed, nobody knows how. How- When he travelled, he communed with the hills and the press may sound rather singular; and yet such are necessarily the inconsistencies of men who suffer themselves means so large as has been supposed; five thousand for fashion's sake, nor would he follow in the wake of the the sums procured from his Lordship were by no the valleys, and the ocean. Certainly he did not travel to be guided by high sounding words and vague generali- pounds would probably cover the whole, and that chiefly herd of voyagers. As much as he had been about the ties, and who expect to understand the art of government by way of loan, which has, I hear, been repaid since his Mediterranean, he had never visited Vesuvius or and the important interests of society by instinct. In spite, death. The truth is, that the only good Lord Byron did, or because all the world had; and when any of the wellhowever, of Lord Byron, the press was established in probably ever could have done to Greece was, that his pre-known European volcanic mountains were mentioned, be Greece, and maintained free and unshackled, by one of sence conferred an eclat on the cause all over Europe, and would talk of the Andes, which he used to express himse the greatest benefactors that country has as yet known disposed the people of England to join in the loan. The as most anxious to visit. In going to Greece the last tim from England-the Hon. Col. L. Stanhope, who, by his lenders were dazzled, by his co-operation with the Greeks, he went out of his way to see Stromboli; and when activity, his energy, courage, but, above all, by his en- into an idea of the security of their money, which they ought happened that there was no eruption during the night h lightened knowledge of the principles of legislation and to have been assured of on much better grounds; but it vessel lay off there, he cursed and swore bitterly for civilization, succeeded in carrying into effect all his mea- requires some time and labour to learn the real state of a short time. sures as agent of the Greek Committee; and who, by country, while it was pleasant gossip, to talk of Lord Byron spreading useful information, and above all by the esta- in Greece. The fact is, that if any of the foreign loans are capricious activity; it was scarcely possible to get him a In travelling, he was an odd mixture of indolence blishment of the press in all the principal points of re- worth a farthing, it is that to the Greeks, who are from a place under six months, and very difficult to union in Greece, has advanced that country in civilization decidedly more under the control of European public opi-him longer. In The Westminster Review there is an many years, how many we dare not say. nion than any other nation in the world; about their ca-teresting paper formed out of his letters, and out of Fle pability to pay, no one can doubt, and, their honesty is secured by their interest.

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As a proof of Lord Byron's uncertainty and unfixedness, cher's account of his last illness, which, though written wi he at one moment gave a very handsome donation (£50) fairness, has, unhappily, the usual fault of going up to one paper, the Greek Chronicle, the most independent Lord Byron was noted for a kind of poetical misanthropy: stilts. All Lord Byron's movements are attributed to s of them all, and promised to assist in its compilation. His but it existed much more in the imagination of the public high motive or other, or some deep deliberation, when h friend and secretary, too, with his approbation, established than in reality. He was fond of society, very good-natured friends well know that he went just as the wind did or a polyglot newspaper, the Greek Telegraph, with his coun- when not irritated, and, so far from being gloomy, was, not blow. Among a deal more of bamboozlement h tenance and support. The want of any fixed principles on the contrary, of a cheerful jesting temperament, and Lord Byron going to Greece, or staying here or there, and opinions on these important subjects galled him exces- fond of witnessing even low buffoonery; such as setting sage reasons are given for his remaining in Cephala sively, and he could never discuss them without passion. couple of vulgar fellows to quarrel, making them drink, long. The fact is, he had got set down there, and be About this same press, schools, societies for mutual instruc- or disposing them in any other way to show their folly. toe idle to be removed: first, he was not to be got out t tion, and all other institutions for the purpose of educating In his writings he certainly dwelt with pleasure on a vessel in which he had sailed, in which he dawdled for and advancing the Greeks in civilization, he would express character which had somehow or other laid hold of his weeks after his arrival, when the charter of the vessel himself with scorn and disgust. He would put it on the fancy, and consequently under this character he has ap-pired, and he was compelled to change his quarters ground that the present was not the time for these things; peared to the public, viz.-that of a proud and scornful then took up his residence in the little village of Metaxa that the Greeks must conquer first, and then set about being, who pretended to be disgusted with his species be- where, again, he was not to be removed to Missolong learning-an opinion which no one could seriously enter- cause he himself had been guilty of all sorts of crimes against whither he had declared his resolution of proceeding: tain, who knew, as he well did, the real situation of the society, and who made a point of dividing his time between after ship was sent for him by Maurocordato, and messe Greeks, who are only now and then visited by the Turks, cursing and blessing, murdering and saving, robbing and ger upon messenger; he promised and promised, until descending in particular seasons in shoals, like herrings; giving, hating and loving, just as the wind of his humour length, either worn out by importunity, or weary of and like them, too, to be netted, knocked on the head, blew. This penchant for outlaws and pirates might na- abode, he hired a couple of vessels (refusing the Greek stu and left to die in heaps, till the whole country side is turally enough flow from his own character, and the cir- and crossed. glutted with their carcases. The aptitude of the Greeks cumstances of his life, without there being the slightest is as great as their leisure; and if even the men were resemblance between the Poet and the Corsair. He had actively engaged for the most part of their time, which a kind and generous heart, and gloried in a splendid piece they are not, surely no exertion of benevolence could be of benevolence; that is to say, the dearest exercise of attended with more advantage than instructing the chil-power to him was in unexpectedly changing the state of dren at home. This, to be sure, is a Quaker-kind of war- another from misery to happiness: he sympathized deeply fare, and little likely to please a poet; though it must be with the joy he was the creator of. But he was in greater confessed, that in respect to the pomp and circumstance of error with respect to the merit of such actions, and in ar, and all the ead delusiors of military glory, no man greater still respecting the reward which he thought

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It is said that his intention was not to remain in Greec that he determined to return after his attack of epile Probably it was only his removal into some better clim that was intended. Certainly a more miserable and u healthy bog than Missolonghi is not to be found out the fens of Holland or the Isle of Ely. He either felt, affected to feel, a presentiment that he should die in Greec and when his return was spoken of, considered it out of th question, predicting that the Turks, Greeks, or the Mal