“The history and recent destruction of this MS. is so singular, that a brief account of it cannot fail to interest literary readers. It is generally known, that above three years ago Lord Byron put into the hands of his friend, Mr. Moore, at Paris, a sketch of his life up to that period, with the power of disposing of it for publication. On coming to England, Mr. Moore sold this MS. to Mr. Murray

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AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.

for 2000 guineas. But it had been seen by a number of persons, and even copied, either entirely or partially by some, and its contents came to be much talked about and canvassed. We are confident we hazard no invasion of the truth when we say, that being written in gall and bitterness of spirit, soon after the author left his family and country in disgust, this narrative would not only have disgraced his memory, but would have compromised and blasted the characters of many persons who move in the highest circles of British society and fashion. It was natural, therefore, that these, as well as Lord Byron’s family connexions, should, as Time’s whispers betrayed the secrets of the Memoirs bit by bit, become anxious for the suppression of this dreaded MS. By what spring moved it is needless to trace, but certain negotiations between Mr. Moore and Murray were the consequence. The MS. was Mr. Murray’s, paid for, and in his possession: and it was covenanted that Mr. Moore should have the revisal of it previous to publication, in order to remove the most offensive passages; and afterwards, that if not redeemed before Lord Byron’s decease, Mr. Murray was to have the right to publish it within three months of that event. Very lately, we understand, farther and not altogether friendly arrangements were spoken of between these parties; but the matter stood as we have stated when the account of Lord Byron’s death arrived. With this crisis came the tug of dispute. Mr. Murray, impressed with the obloquy which the Biography would cast upon the name of Byron, and with the infamy of its numerous libels, consulted with the friends of the family, and principally with Mr. Wilmot Horton, who is related to Lady Byron. Mr. Moore, actuated by a like sense of the impropriety of the publication, conferred with his friends, and, through Mr. Luttrell, wished to redeem the MS.

MOORE—BYRON.

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Mr. Cam Hobhouse also, one of the warmest (and, as it seems to us, one of the most disinterested) friends of the late Lord, interfered to save his posthumous fame from this stroke; and Col. Doyle appeared for Mrs. Lee, Lord Byron’s half sister, with a similar object.

“After some angry conferences, in which Mr. Moore and Mr. Murray differed essentially upon the construction of the agreement between them, the latter, in our opinion, very generously, surrendered his property in the MS. to the friends of Lord Byron (thus making the sacrifice of a property worth at the present time many thousand pounds), and it was committed, to the flames. Mr. Moore, on his part, returned the 2000 guineas which he had received for the copyright with interest; but we learn with satisfaction that this honourable act is not likely to be any permanent loss to him, as the sum has been again placed at the command of his friend Mr. Luttrell by Mr. Horton (if he chooses to accept of it), as the representative of the family of Lord Byron. With the passionate feelings of any of the individuals who have been concerned in these transactions we have nothing to do, either in our private or public capacity. We think the final determination fortunate for all parties; for the dead, for the living, and for the country generally; and we also think that such a MS. ought never to have been sold in contemplation of being published. What blame attaches to this, is we hope redeemed by the sacrifices finally offered and made; and our only fear is, that they may be rendered partially vain, by the existence of transcripts in other quarters.”