Lady Byron Vindicated

1

The italics are mine.

2

The italics are mine.

3

In Lady Blessington’s ‘Memoirs’ this name is given Charlemont; in the late ‘Temple Bar’ article on the character of Lady Byron it is given Clermont.  I have followed the latter.

4

The italics are mine.

5

In Lady Blessington’s conversations with Lord Byron, just before he went to Greece, she records that he gave her this poem in manuscript.  It was published in her ‘Journal.’

6

Vol. vi. p.22.

7

‘Byron’s Miscellany,’ vol. ii. p.358.  London, 1853.

8

The italics are mine.

9

Lord Byron says, in his observations on an article in ‘Blackwood:’ ‘I recollect being much hurt by Romilly’s conduct: he (having a general retainer for me) went over to the adversary, alleging, on being reminded of his retainer, that he had forgotten it, as his clerk had so many.  I observed that some of those who were now so eagerly laying the axe to my roof-tree might see their own shaken.  His fell and crushed him.’

In the first edition of Moore’s Life of Lord Byron there was printed a letter on Sir Samuel Romilly, so brutal that it was suppressed in the subsequent editions.  (See Part III.)

10

Vol. iv. p.40

11

Ibid. p.46.

12

The italics are mine.

13

Vol. iv. p.143.

14

Lord Byron took especial pains to point out to Murray the importance of these two letters.  Vol. V. Letter 443, he says: ‘You must also have from Mr. Moore the correspondence between me and Lady B., to whom I offered a sight of all that concerns herself in these papers.  This is important.  He has her letter and my answer.’

15

16

‘Conversations,’ p.108.

17

Murray’s edition of ‘Byron’s Works,’ vol. ii. p.189; date of dedication to Hobhouse, Jan. 2, 1818.

18

Recently, Lord Lindsay has published another version of this story, which makes it appear that he has conversed with a lady who conversed with Hobhouse during his lifetime, in which this story is differently reported.  In the last version, it is made to appear that Hobhouse got this declaration from Lady Byron herself.

19

The references are to the first volume of the first edition of Moore’s ‘Life,’ originally published by itself.

20

‘The officious spies of his privacy,’ p.65O.

21

‘The deserted husband,’ p.651.

22

‘I (Campbell) had not time to ask Lady Byron’s permission to print this private letter; but it seemed to me important, and I have published it meo periculo.’

23

‘Noctes,’ July 1822.

24

‘Noctes,’ September 1832.

25

Miss Martineau’s Biographical Sketches.

26

The italics are mine.—H. B. S.

27

In ‘The Noctes’ of November, 1824 Christopher North says, ‘I don’t call Medwin a liar. . . .  Whether Byron bammed him, or he, by virtue of his own stupidity, was the sole and sufficient bammifier of himself, I know not.’  A note says that Murray had been much shocked by Byron’s misstatements to Medwin as to money-matters with him.  The note goes on to say, ‘Medwin could not have invented them, for they were mixed up with acknowledged facts; and the presumption is that Byron mystified his gallant acquaintance.  He was fond of such tricks.’

28

This one fact is, that Lord Byron might have had an open examination in court, if he had only persisted in refusing the deed of separation.

29

In the history of ‘Blackwood’s Magazine,’ prefaced to the American edition of 1854, Mackenzie says of the ‘Noctes’ papers, ‘Great as was their popularity in England it was peculiarly in America that their high merit and undoubted originality received the heartiest recognition and appreciation.  Nor is this wonderful when it is considered that for one reader of “Blackwood’s Magazine” in the old country there cannot be less than fifty in the new.’

30

The reader is here referred to Lady Byron’s other letters, in Part III.; which also show the peculiarly active and philosophical character of her mind, and the class of subjects on which it habitually dwelt.

31

See her character of Dr. King, Part III.

32

Alluding to the financial crisis in the United States in 1857.

33

‘The Minister’s Wooing.’

34

See her letter on spiritualistic phenomena, Part III.

35

This novel of Godwin’s is a remarkably powerful story.  It is related in the first person by the supposed hero, Caleb Williams.  He represents himself as private secretary to a gentleman of high family named Falkland.  Caleb accidentally discovers that his patron has, in a moment of passion, committed a murder.  Falkland confesses the crime to Caleb, and tells him that henceforth he shall always suspect him, and keep watch over him.  Caleb finds this watchfulness insupportable, and tries to escape, but without success.  He writes a touching letter to his patron, imploring him to let him go, and promising never to betray him.  The scene where Falkland refuses this is the most highly wrought in the book.  He says to him, “Do not imagine that I am afraid of you; I wear an armour against which all your weapons are impotent.  I have dug a pit for you: and whichever way you move, backward or forward, to the right or the left, it is ready to swallow you.  Be still!  If once you fall, call as loud as you will, no man on earth shall hear your cries: prepare a tale however plausible or however true, the whole world shall execrate you for an impostor.  Your innocence shall be of no service to you.  I laugh at so feeble a defence.  It is I that say it: you may believe what I tell you.  Do you know, miserable wretch!” added he, stamping on the ground with fury, “that I have sworn to preserve my reputation, whatever be the expense; that I love it more than the whole world and its inhabitants taken together? and do you think that you shall wound it?”  The rest of the book shows how this threat was executed.

36

Alluding to Buchanan’s election.

37

Shelton Mackenzie, in a note to the ‘Noctes’ of July 1822, gives the following saying of Maginn, one of the principal lights of the club: ‘No man, however much he might tend to civilisation, was to be regarded as having absolutely reached its apex until he was drunk.’  He also records it as a further joke of the club, that a man’s having reached this apex was to be tested by his inability to pronounce the word ‘civilisation,’ which, he says, after ten o’clock at night ought to be abridged to civilation, ‘by syncope, or vigorously speaking by hic-cup.’

38

Vol. v. pp.61, 75.

39

These italics are ours.

40

This little incident shows the characteristic carefulness and accuracy of Lady Byron’s habits.  This statement was written fourteen years after the events spoken of; but Lady Byron carefully quotes a passage from her mother’s letter written at that time.  This shows that a copy of Lady Milbanke’s letter had been preserved, and makes it appear probable that copies of the whole correspondence of that period were also kept.  Great light could be thrown on the whole transaction, could these documents be consulted.

41

Here, again, Lady Byron’s sealed papers might furnish light.  The letters addressed to her at this time by those in constant intercourse with Lord Byron are doubtless preserved, and would show her ground of action.

42

Probably Lady Milbanke’s letters are among the sealed papers, and would more fully explain the situation.

43

Hunt’s Byron, p.77. Philadelphia, 1828.

44

From the Temple Bar article, October 1869.  ‘Mrs. Leigh, Lord Byron’s sister, had other thoughts of Mrs. Clermont, and wrote to her offering public testimony to her tenderness and forbearance under circumstances which must have been trying to any friend of Lady Byron.’—Campbell, in the New Monthly Magazine, 1830, p.380.

45

‘My Recollections,’ p.238.

46

Vol. vi.  p.242.

47

The reader is here referred to the remarks of ‘Blackwood’ on ‘Don Juan’ in Part III.

48

The article in question is worth a careful reading.  Its industry and accuracy in amassing evidence are worthy attention.

49

Probably ‘The Christian Aspects of Faith and Duty.’  Mr. Tayler has also written ‘A Retrospect of the Religious Life of England.’

50

‘The National Review.’