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Lord Byron and his Times: http://lordbyron.org
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Continuing our review of this interesting
“‘ * “I like the Greeks, who are plausible rascals,—with all the
Turkish vices, without their courage. However, some are brave, and all are beautiful, very
much resembling the busts of
‘He has adopted this name in his description of the
seraglio in
Byron
“To
I
should like to know how a person feels, after committing a murder!
’ In this
startling speech we may detect, I think, the germ of his future wish to explore the dark workings of
the passions was what, with the aid of imagination, at length generated the power; and that faculty which entitled him afterwards to be so truly
styled ‘the searcher of dark bosoms,’ may be traced to, perhaps, its earliest
stirrings in the sort of feeling that produced these words. On their approaching the island
of Zea, he expressed a wish to be put on shore. Accordingly, having taken leave of his
companion, he was landed upon this small island, with his two Albanians, a Tartar, and one
English servant; and in one of his manuscripts, he has, himself, described the proud,
solitary feeling with which he stood to see the ship sail swiftly away—leaving him there,
in a land of strangers, alone. * * *
“He was a good deal weakened and thinned by his illness at Patras, and,
on his return to Athens, standing, one day, before a looking-glass, he said to
How pale I look!—I should like, I think,
to die of a consumption
’—‘Why of a consumption?’ asked his
friend. ‘Because then (he answered) the women would all say, ‘See that poor
’ In this anecdote,—which, slight as it is, the relater
remembered, as a proof of the poet’s consciousness of his own beauty,—may be traced
also the habitual reference of his imagination to that sex, which, however he affected to
despise it, influenced, more or less, the flow and colour of all his thoughts. * * *
“‘I have done with authorship (he says, in another letter); and
if, in my last production, I have convinced the critics or the world I was something more
than they took me for, I am satisfied; nor will I hazard
’ that
reputation by a future effort. It is true I have some others in manuscript, but I
leave them for those who come after me; and, if deemed worth publishing, they may serve to
prolong my memory when I myself shall cease to remember.
“Notwithstanding the resolution, so recently expressed by
“‘I have an
’
“Though on every thing that, after his arrival at the age of manhood he
produced, some mark or other of the master-hand may be traced, yet, to print the whole of
his
The consideration of this we must, nevertheless, defer, as we have now only room
for a very interesting account touching
“‘The estate of Newstead to be entailed (subject to certain
deductions) on
’
“In sending a copy of the Will, framed on these instructions, to
“‘This is the last will and testament of me the
’
“‘ It is submitted to
“‘It must stand.
“‘
I do hereby specifically order and direct that all the claims of the said
’
“‘
’ If Mr. Davieshas any
unsettled claims upon Lord
Byronthat circumstance is a reason for his
not being appointed executor; each executor having an opportunity of paying himself
his own debt without consulting his co-executors.
“‘So much the better—if possible, let him be an executor.
“The two following letters contain further instructions on the same
subject.
Newstead Abbey, August 16th, 1811.
“‘Sir,—I have answered the queries on the margin‡. I wish
carcass, I must have them implicitly fulfilled, as they will, at least,
prevent trouble and expense;—and (what would be of little consequence to me, but may quiet the
conscience of the survivors) the garden is consecrated ground. These
directions are copied verbatim from my former will; the alterations in other parts have arisen
from the death of Byron
“‘ recourse to an act of courtship often
practised in that country,—namely, giving himself a wound across the breast with
his dagger. The young Athenian, by his own account, looked on very coolly during
the operation, considering it a at tribute to her beauty, but in no degree moved to
gratitude.” * “ † “ ‡ “Sir,—The witnesses shall be provided from amongst my tenants,
and I shall be happy to see you on any day most convenient to yourself. I forgot to mention
that it must be specified by codicil, or otherwise, that my body is on no account to be
removed from the vault where I have directed it to be placed; and, in case any of my
successors within the entail (from bigotry, or otherwise) might think proper to remove the
carcass, such proceeding shall be attended by forfeiture of the estate,
On the death of his mother, a considerable mm of money, the remains of
the price of the estate of Glght, was paid Into his hands by her trustee, Baron
Clerk.
” Over the words which I have bore placed
between brackets,
In the clause enumerating the names end places
of abode of the executors, the solicitor had left blanks for the Christian
names of these gentlemen, and
” I forget the Christian name of
’Byron
“In consequence of this last letter, a proviso and declaration, in
conformity with its instructions, were inserted in the will. He also executed, on the 28th
of this month, a codicil, by which he revoked the bequest of his ‘
” household goods
and furniture, library, pictures, sabres, watches, plate, linen, trinkets, and other
personal estate (except money and securities) situate within the walls of the
mansion-house and premises at his decease—and bequeathed the same (except his wine and
spirituous liquors) to his friends, the said
’