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ham made his experiments with two guns, to forward to us, regularly and seasonably,
at the distances of 29,547 feet and 13,923.3 the names of all works of every kind, pre-
feet.
charged with eight pounds of powder, and recently published.
They were twenty-four pounders, paring for publication, in the press, or
the experiments were continued during the serted in the Gazette, it is particularly
As they will be in-
latter part of 1820, and the whole of 1821. desired that the exact titles be stated at
The following table contains the substance length.
of these numerous and well conducted ex-
periments; and it is curious to remark, how
the velocity gradually increases towards the
middle of the year, and again gradually
diminishes. Mr Goldingham conceives that
this regularity would be still greater, with
the mean of several years' observations.

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Months.
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Velocity of sound in
a second, in feet.

1101

1117

1139

1145

1151

1157

1164

1163

1152

1128

1101

1099

which this Gazette is exchanged, and of
**The proprietors of Newspapers, for
which the price is less than that of the
Gazette, are expected to pay the differ-
ence.
C. H. & Co.

ADVERTISEMENTS.

CUMMINGS, HILLIARD, & Co. PROPOSE publishing a Collection of American Poetry, under the title of

ANTHOLOGIA AMERICANA,

OR SELECTIONS FROM THE WORKS OF

AMERICAN POETS.

The extracts which have been prepared volumes, crown octavo; and they will comfor this publication, will make three or four prise such portions of the works of our writers, as will present a fair specimen of the actual poetical talent of our country. The degrees of merit will, of course, be various; but it is the Editor's intention to admit only such articles as shall have some claim to a place in the collection, either on account of their own intrinsic merit, or of

it is supposed, were intended for winter quarters. It was observed that the nests of the mice, above and below ground, all communicated with each other by an amazing number of these cross roads, formed by cutting the grass close to the ground; and every nest was invariably connected, by means of these roads, with some place where there was water. In Morvern, and, it is believed, in every quarter which the mice infested, they were most numerous in those farms where there is least crop; and upon the whole, they destroyed much less crop than grass. This did not proceed from a want of relish for corn diet; for, in one farm in Morvern, where there is very little arable ground, the crop was completely destroyed. Even every square foot of the roof of the barn was perforated; and a great many of the stobs (sharp-pointed rods for fastening the thatch) nearly cut through. It has been observed that mice are more numerous during wet than dry seasons. During the winter of the year in which they were numerous beyond all others, a long continued and severe frost took place, and they then disappeared. It is supposed they perished for want of food or water. state of the barometer, thermometer, and Mr Goldingham has also recorded the All opinions regarding the amount of dam- hygrometer, at the times of his observations. age done by these mice, to the pastures, are He concludes, that for each degree of the mere conjectures, but it must have been thermometer, 1.2 feet may be allowed in the very considerable. In one tenement at velocity of sound for a second; for each deMoidart, having a stock of two thousand gree of the hygrometer, 1.4 feet; and for sheep, it was estimated as equal to that of 0.1 of an inch of the barometer, 9.2 feet. three hundred sheep of an overstock. In Ardgour, on the grounds around Colonel Maclean's residence, the mice destroyed an immense number of fir plants, and other young trees, by eating away the bark a little above the root. So bent were they here on mischief, that old women, with cats, were stationed at different points, in huts, through the plantations; at least it is generally reported that such was the case. It is not likely that these establishments could give New York, under this singular, but rather A French Journal has just been set up at any effectual check to their depredations. attractive title. It is published every ThursIt is not probable that there was any thing day, in a pamphlet of about twenty pages, played by some of our native poets, the like an invasion of this country by the mice and has now reached its third number. The editor has been led to believe" (perhaps not From the marks of genius which are disat the time they were so uncommonly nu-editor proposes to pass "from grave merous. It is more probable, that there was something in the season peculiarly favoura-gence, especially news from his own France; decisive indications of a national taste for to deal in politics, literature, foreign intelligay;" uninfluenced by partiality for his native ble to their increase. country) that there are quite as strong and There is always a and to have a hand in all the pleasant topics poetical composition, as is acknowledged in considerable number of field-mice in the of the day. One of his most inviting prom-the sister art of painting; in which our woods, where they live by hoarding up, ises is, to tell his readers so much of what is under ground, great quantities of hazel- doing in Paris, that they will almost forget could not have been expected at this early nuts; and in soft, moist ground, where there the distance that separates them from that country has already attained a rank that is long, rank grass, or where the ground is capital of taste and the arts. coated with moss or fog, many of their nests epoch. and roads may be found under cover of the moss or grass. No facts occurred that would lead one to suppose that they migrate from one district of country to another.

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New York, which so swarms with foreign- Introduction, partly of a critical, and partly
It is really surprising, that in a city like work shall be accompanied with a General
It is the intention of the Editor that the
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The plan has been
language, and where that language is so gen-without exception, expressed their consent
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not have been sooner thought of.
ard in anticipating the same liberality in
terms; and the Editor now feels no haz-
those from whom he has not yet had oppor-
considers it unnecessary to be more partic-
tunity to obtain an answer. The Editor

The present attempt is very creditable, and cannot fail of becoming popular, if the editor's skill in choosing and managing his subjects proves equal to his style of writing

A Lover of French Literature.

United States, are very earnestly requested
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CAMBRIDGE:

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BY

HILLIARD AND METCALF.

THE UNITED STATES LITERARY GAZETTE.

Published on the first and fifteenth day of every month, by Cummings, Hilliard, & Co. No. 1 Cornhill, Boston.

VOL. 1.

REVIEWS.

Journal of the Conversations of Lord Byron: Noted during a Residence with his Lordship at Pisa, in the years 1821 and 1822. By Thomas Medwin, Esq., of the 24th Light Dragoons, Author of "Ahasuerus the Wanderer." With additions. New York. 1824. 12mo. pp. 304.

THE writer of these Conversations proposes to himself to supply the want of those Memoirs of Lord Byron, which, to the great grief and trouble of the lovers of scandalous anecdotes, were so heroically consigned to the flames, on the death of their subject. He is a variety of the species Boswell; who had the good fortune to be introduced to his lordship at Pisa, and there to enjoy, and make notes of, his conversation from time to time, during a period of about nine months. He tells us, that the information contained

in this volume

was communicated during a period of many months' familiar intercourse, without any injunctions to secrecy, and committed to paper for the sake of reference only. They [the notes] have not been shown to any one individual, and, but for the fate of his manuscripts, would never have appeared before the public.

All which, together with the assertion that the writer despises "mere book-making," we believe because it is printed; and are as well satisfied as any reasonable bookmaker can expect us to be, that the publisher of these Conversations was actuated by that enlarged benevolence, which regards the satisfaction of the public curiosity as an object of far higher moment, than the gratification of private feeling. And if some of the more strait-laced among the gentlemen on this side of the Atlantic, should stick a little at the implied doctrine of Captain Medwin, that it is fair and honour able to repeat and publish every private communication, which is not attended with an express injunction of secrecy, they should recollect, that it is proverbially superfluous to criticise the liberality by which we are the gainers. Leaving the point of honour out of the question, however, for the present, we observe, that we consider recorded conversations of this kind, as much more likely to give one a just view of character, than any autobiography soever, upon something the same principle, that laying one's ear to a key-hole is often a more certain way of learning a man's real opinion, than asking questions about it.

From these Conversations we learn, that the father of Lord Byron was a shining example of genteel vice and extravagance; one who ruined ladies of fortune and spent their money; "ran out three fortunes," and

BOSTON, JANUARY 15, 1825.

gave his note for a guinea; and that it was the early opinion of his mother, that the young lord was, considering his opportunities," as bad as his father."

The twig, thus bent, was sent to Harrow; and how much the morals of his lordship were improved at this seminary, may be conjectured from the character of his associates, and the reputation which he himself enjoyed. In one place, he says,

All the friends of my youth are dead; either shot in duels, ruined, or in the gallies. And in another,

-Terms, $5 per annum, payable in July. No. 19.

us, which describe the man, whose character seems to have been such as we might expect of a soul of the higher order, bound down in eternal slavery to the dominion of the passions, and cursed with a continual secret longing after the good which he laboured to depreciate and despise.

Like many other eccentric persons, who begin by outraging society, and end in hating it for resenting the insult, his lordship had transferred his affections to a lower order of beings, who do not look beyond the present moment, and are always ready to I fought Lord Calthorpe for writing d-d atheist forget, in the caresses of to-day, the neglect or harsh treatment of yesterday. Captain Medwin found him at Pisa, attended by nine horses, a monkey, a bull-dog, and a mastiff, two cats, three pea-fowls, and some hens.

under my name.

From school he was advanced to the uni

versity, where, we are informed, that "they were as glad to get rid of him as they had been at Harrow." On leaving the univerThe bull-dog acted as porter, being atsity, Lord Byron plunged into the most de-tached to the head of the stair-case, “by a praving dissipation, and suffered its inevita- chain long enough to guard the door, and ble consequences. prevent the entrance of strangers." The Captain, however, was conducted in safety past this Cerberus, by Shelley, whom the animal, being acquainted with, only noticed by a growl. The appearance of his lordship is thus described.

With a fortune anticipated before I came into possession of it, and a constitution impaired by early excesses, I commenced my travels in 1809, with a joyless indifference to a world that was all

before me.

The fruit of these travels was the Childe Harold, the publication of which placed him Thorwaldsen's bust is too thin-necked and young at once at the summit of literary reputation; for Lord Byron. None of the engravings gave me and this was the period in the life of this the least idea of him. I saw a man of about five unhappy man, when it was almost to be as was said of Milton, he barely escaped being short feet seven or eight, apparently forty years of age; hoped, that a soul like Byron's would have and thick. His face was fine, and the lower part shaken itself free from the fetters of vice symmetrically moulded; for the lips and chin had and debauchery; but they were too firmly that curved and definite outline that distinguishes rivetted, and had been worn too long. His Grecian beauty. His forehead was high, and his marriage was soon followed by separation plexion, almost to wanness. His hair, thin and temples broad; and he had a paleness in his comfrom his wife, and exile from his country; fine, had almost become gray, and waved in natural and the remainder of his existence was and graceful curls over his head, that was assimilatspent in wandering from city to city, in ing itself fast to the "bald first Caesar's." He allowed disgraceful intrigues with the degraded fe-it to grow longer behind than it is accustomed to be males of Italy, and the society of such as worn, and at that time had mustachios, which were not sufficiently dark to be becoming. In criticising Hunt, Shelley, and Medwin, and at last his features it might, perhaps, be said that his eyes terminated in a crusade against the barba- were placed too near his nose, and that one was rians of the Turkish empire. rather smaller than the other; they were of a grayish brown, but of a peculiar clearness, and look through and penetrate the thoughts of others, when animated, possessed a fire which seemed to while they marked the inspiration of his own. His teeth were small, regular, and white; these, I afterterwards found, he took great pains to preserve.

We have thus given a rapid sketch of the life of this remarkable personage, who, for the last ten or twelve years, has excited so great an interest in the literary world. We cannot weep, with some of our periodical brethren, the early death of one, who was perverting his ingenuity, and prostituting his talents to the abominable purpose of giving new and powerful attractions to vice, and compelling the Muses to assist in rendering pollution seductive, and blasphemy classical. We do not intend to discuss the literary merit of the works of Lord Byron; respecting most of them, there is but one opinion; and of their moral tendency we have spoken at large in a preceding number. Our present remarks will principally relate to those parts of the volume before

I expected to discover that he had a club, perhaps have distinguished one from the other, either in a cloven foot; but it would have been difficult to size or in form.

The following morning, Medwin found him at breakfast.

It consisted of a cup of strong green tea, without milk or sugar, and an egg, of which he ate the yolk raw. I observed the abstemiousness of his meal.

My digestion is weak; 1 am too bilious,' said he, to eat more than once a-day, and generally live wine at dinner, but they form only a vegetable diet. on vegetables. fo be sure I drink two bottles of Just now I live on claret and soda-water.

In another part of the volume, we are informed, that he drank a pint of Hollanda every night.

He said to me humorously enough—'Why don't you drink, Medwin? Gin-and-water is the source of all my inspiration. If you were to drink as much as I do, you would write as good verses: it, it is the true Hippocrene.'" depend on

This is vegetable diet with a vengeance, and about as likely to improve the digestion as the temper and morals.

His life at Pisa was very uniform :

I continued to visit him at the same hour (two o'clock) daily. Billiards, conversation, or reading, filled up the intervals till it was time to take our evening drive, ride, and pistol-practice. On our return, which was always in the same direction, we frequently met the Countess Guiccioli, with whom he stopped to converse a few minutes.

He dined at half an hour after sunset, (at twentyfour o'clock), then drove to Count Gamba's, the Countess Guiccioli's father, passed several hours in her society, returned to his palace, and either

read or wrote till two or three in the morning.

The Countess Guiccioli was the wife of an old Italian nobleman, who had objected to her intimacy with Lord Byron, on the ground of his being "a foreigner, a heretic, an Englishman, and worse than all, a liberal." The lady, deeply offended at this unprecedented illiberality, complained to his holiness, the Pope, "who ordered her a separate maintenance, on condition that she

should reside under her father's roof."

The account of his lordship's marriage, treatment of his lady, and separation from her, has been already published in so many papers of the day, that we consider it unnecessary to extract it here. He seems anxious to make it appear that his behaviour in this affair was not remarkably culpable; but besides that his own story is bad enough, he admits, that his own relations, as well as the lady's, that is to say all who had the best opportunity of knowing the truth, condemned his conduct.

All my former friends, even my cousin, George Byron, who had been brought up with me, and whom I loved as a brother, took my wife's part. He followed the stream when it was strongest against me, and can never expect any thing from me: he shall never touch a sixpence of mine.

Every one has heard the report of his drinking out of a skull; the following is his

own account of the circumstance.

There had been found by the gardener, in digging, a skull that had probably belonged to some jolly friar or monk of the Abbey about the time it was dis-monasteried Observing it to be of giant size, and in a perfect state of preservation, a strange fancy seized me of having it set and mounted as a drinking-cup. I accordingly sent it to town, and it returned with a very high polish, and of a mottled colour, like a tortoise-shell; (Colonel Wildman now has it). I remember scribbling some lines about it; but that was not all: I afterwards established at the Abbey a new order. The members consisted of twelve, and I elected myself grand master, or Abbot of the Skull, a grand heraldic title. A set of black gowns, mine distinguished from the rest, was ordered, and from time to time, when a particular hard day was expected, a chapter was held; the crane was filled with claret, and, in imitation of the Goths of old, passed about to the gods of the Consistory, whilst many a prime joke was cut at its expense.

The ladies will hardly feel much compla

Without placing these works of imagination on a level with those of Shakspeare, it appears to us, that the excellencies of both are of the same kind; that there is in both the same individuality in the character, the same universal truth in the sentiments, and the same accurate and spirited delineation of the "passions common to men in all ages of society, which have alike agitated the human heart, whether it throbbed under the steel corslet of the fifteenth century, the brocaded coat of the eighteenth, or the blue frock and white dimity waistcoat of the present day."

cency for his lordship, when they learn his they are a library in themselves-a perfect literary
opinion of their sex. "Like Napoleon," treasure. I could read them once a year with new
says he, (and he might have added, in the pleasure.'
words of an author, whom even he was com-
pelled to respect, 'like all rogues,**) "I have
always had a great contempt for women.
Give a woman a looking-glass and a few
sugar-plums, and she will be satisfied." His
acquaintance with them, it is true, was not
likely to give him an exalted idea of their
qualities. He observes that, they "were
always his bane," and with great justice.
The influence of the sex, whether for good
or evil, is one of the mightiest powers, which
operate in the formation of character; and
as there is nothing which improves and re-
fines it like the society of virtuous women,
so there is nothing, which can pollute and
debase it more than an intercourse with
those of an opposite character. There is no
wickedness like the wickedness of a woman.
Several pages of this work are devoted
They indicate little knowledge of the
to Lord Byron's remarks on religion.
subject. He seems unable to be a down-
right infidel, only wishing that he could be
satisfied that Christianity is a fable, without
being able to persuade himself of it. Per-being Sir Walter Scott's?
haps in this particular he was not very dif- 66
ferent from many others, who endeavour to
avoid and keep out of sight the necessity of
coming to a decision; considering it as a
fortable consequences. On this subject he
thing likely to lead, in any event, to uncom-
falls into the common weakness of encour-
aging himself in his indecision, or practical
disbelief, by the example of eminent men.
He remarks that-

near shooting himself; Hume went off the stage
Dr Johnson died like a coward, and Cowper was
like a brave man, and Voltaire's last moments do
not seem to have been clouded by any fears of what
was to come.

His lordship's own deathbed seems not to
have been troubled by fears of the future,
but this does not persuade us, that his life
was not frequently tortured by such fears,
nor that he had not many moments when he
wished as sincerely, as any dying person
whatever, that he could hope for a better
world. What he wanted, however, in reli-
gion, was made up in superstition; for your
infidel does not always reject Christianity for
want of credulity. He believed in omens,
lucky days, and, above all, held that con-
venient faith, which lays upon destiny the
fault of one's own imprudence or wickedness.
Among other heresies, Lord Byron in-
dulged himself in depreciating Shakspeare,
the old dramatists, and the English stage
in general. The reception of his own dra-
matic attempts will probably account for
his opinion of the taste of his countrymen
in this department of literature. If he really
did not relish Shakspeare, he was a more
unhappy person than we took him for; but
we cannot believe this, for many reasons.
Among others, it seems to us totally irre-
concilable with his admiration of the Seot-
tish novels.

specting the real author of these novels, the
Though little doubt can now exist re-
question, like that concerning the author of
the letters of Junius, will continue to possess
anecdotes would be decisive, if it could be
tainty remains.
a degree of interest, so long as any uncer-
The first of the following
depended on.

I asked him if he was certain about the Novels 'Scott as much as owned himself the author of I was talking to him about that novel, and lamented Waverley" to me in Murray's shop,' replied he. that its author had not carried back the story nearer to the time of the Revolution. Scott, entirely off his correct himself: he looked confused, and relieved guard, said, Ay, I might have done so, but'There he stopped. It was in vain to attempt to his embarrassment by a precipitate retreat.

'On another occasion I was to dine at Murray's; and being in his parlour in the morning, he told me I should meet the author of "Waverley" at dinner. He had received several excuses, and the party was was satisfied that the writer of that novel must have a small one; and, knowing all the people present, I been, and could have been, no other than Walter Scott.'

But we hesitate about receiving it in its full force. Walter should have been so little on his We think it improbable that Sir guard, on any occasion when these works were the subject of conversation; certainly, if he understood keeping his secret no better, his title to them would long since have ceased to be doubtful. We imagine that Lord Byron's imagination, or Captain Medwin's, or both, have improved somewhat upon the facts of the case. Several explanations of the second anecdote, suggest themselves to us, as they will doubtless to our readers. So that if we did not believe on other evidence, that the novels were written by Sir Walter, we should incline to continue in our unbelief for any thing that is here offered. shall extract some other remarks, as being While on this subject, we creditable both to the speaker and the object of them.

the least jealous: he is too confident of his own 'Of all the writers of the day, Walter Scott is fame to dread the rivalry of others. He does not think of good writing, as the Tuscans do of fever that there is only a certain quantity of it in the

world. * *

'He spoiled the fame of his poetry by his supe rior prose. He has such extent and versatility of 'I never travel without Scott's Novels,' said he; powers in writing, that, should his Novels ever tire *Heart of Mid-Lothian.

the public, which is not likely, he will apply himself to something else, and succeed as well."

Indeed the character of Scott is one of the few subjects, on which his lordship's mind seemed uniformly to dwell with pleasure. On one occasion he says, "The sight of his letters always does me good." And again

The following passage will show, that however authors may affect to despise the opinions of periodical critics, these opinions do occasionally produce considerable sensation, though, fortunately for the tribe, they do not often draw upon themselves so severe a counterblast.

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inform me."-"How can I?" rejoined my master; could hardly have been very full, especially "it is now too late, and all is over!" I said, "Not if we consider the time when they were Yes, not mine be done-but I will try our will, but God's be done!"-and he answered. generally made, namely, that between two His lordship did indeed make several efforts to speak, or three o'clock in the morning and two in but could only repeat two or three words at a time the afternoon; so that it is not an improbasuch as, "my wife! my child! my sister! you know ble supposition, that the memory must have His (Jeffrey's) summing up in favour of my friend all-you must say all-you know my wishes:" the frequently been called on to supply deficienSir Walter amused me; it reminded me of a school-rest was quite unintelligible. A consultation was cies in the manuscripts; and he who connow held (about noon), when it was determined siders the natural growth and ramification master, who, after flogging a bad boy, calls out to to administer some Peruvian bark and wine. My the head of the class, and, patting him on the head, master had now been nine days without any suste- of stories by repetition, will not be surprised gives him all the sugar-plums. nance whatever, except what I have already men- to find occasionally, that some of the Captioned. With the exception of a few words which tain's ground is debateable. Another cause can only interest those to whom they were addressed, and which, if required, I shall communi-may be found in the character of Lord If the notion we have cate to themselves, it was impossible to understand Byron himself. any thing his lordship said after taking the bark. formed of this, from other sources, be a corHe expressed a wish to sleep. I at one time asked rect one,-that he did not, any more than whether I should call Mr Parry; to which he re- the majority of mankind, always think and plied, "Yes, you may call him" Mr Parry desired speak in the same manner, on the same him to compose himself. He shed tears, and appa- subject; he was sometimes angry from rently sunk into a slumber. Mr Parry went away; slight causes, and sometimes unjust to those expecting to find him refreshed on his return-but it was the commencement of the lethargy preceding whose conduct on the whole he approved; his death. The last words I heard my master utter he was capricious in his opinions, and hasty were at six o'clock on the evening of the 18th, when in his language; and, if the assertions of he said, "I must sleep now," upon which he laid Medwin respecting his usual mode of livdown, never to rise again!-for he did not move hand or foot during the following twenty-four hours.ing at Pisa are correct, we can hardly be surprised at any extravagance. Admit further, that these Conversations were private, and that his lordship had no suspicion that every casual ebullition of spleen, and every expression, uttered under the inspiration of his "vegetable diet," was treasured up to gratify the public voracity; and we have a clue to almost any contradiction that can be pointed out between the letter of these Conversations and the spirit of his written productions.

When I first saw the review of my "Hours of Idleness," I was furious; in such a rage as I never

have been in since.

I dined that day with Scroope Davies, and drank three bottles of claret to drown it; but it only boiled the more. That critique was a masterpiece of low wit, a tissue of scurrilous abuse. I remember there was a great deal of vulgar trash in it which was meant for humour, "about people being thankful for what they could get,"-"not looking a gift horse in the mouth," and such stable expressions. The severity of "The Quarterly" killed poor Keats; and neglect, Kirk White; but I was made of different stuff, of tougher materials. So far from their bullying me, or deterring me from writing, I was bent on falsifying their raven predictions, and determined to show them, croak as they would, that it was not the last time they should hear from me. I set to work immediately, and in good earnest, and produced in a year "The English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.'

We shall conclude our extracts from this volume with the account of the last moments of Lord Byron, as given by his valet Fletcher, in a letter to Mr Murray.

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Although his lordship did not appear to think his dissolution was so near, I could perceive he was getting weaker every hour, and he even began to have occasional fits of delirium. He afterwards said, "I now begin to think I am seriously ill; and, in case I should be taken off suddenly, I wish to give you several directions, which I hope you will be particular in seeing executed." I answered I would, in case such an event came to pass; but expressed a hope that he would live many years to execute them much better himself than I could. To this my master replied, "Vo, it is now nearly over;" and then added, "I must tell you all without losing a moment!" I then said, "Shall I go, my Lord, and fetch pen, ink, and paper?"-"Oh, my God! no, you will lose too much time, and I have it not to spare, for my time is now short," said his lordship; and immediately after, "Now, pay attention." His lordship commenced by saying, "You will be provided for." I begged him, however, to proceed with things of more consequence. He then continued, Oh, my poor dear child!-my dear Ada! My God! could I but have seen her! Give her my blessing and my dear sister Augusta and her children; and you will go to Lady Byron, and say every thing; you are friends with her." His lordship appeared to be greatly affected at this moment. Here my master's voice failed him, so that I could only catch a word at intervals; but he kept muttering something very seriously for some time, and would often raise his voice and say, "Fletcher, now if you do not execute every order which I have given you, I will torment you hereafter if possible.'

tell her

Here I told his lordship, in a state of the greatest perplexity, that I had not understood a word of what he said; to which he replied, "Oh, my God! then all is lost, for it is now too late! Can it be possible you have not understood me ?""No, my Lord," said I; "but I pray you to try and

The good points in the character of Lord Byron, were general kindness and generosity to his servants and dependents, by whom he seems to have been much beloved, and his zeal for the civil liberty of mankind. This was shown in Italy, but more particularly in the country where he ended his career. To this sentiment is also to be attributed the favourable light in which he seems to have regarded the people of the United States. He expresses strong affection for his daughter, and occasionally some regard for Lady Byron. His faults were the consequences of bad education, and bad company, early dissipation, and the habit of yielding to the impulses of passion; and in a character dangerous alike to itself, and to society, we are uncertain whether more is to be pitied, or condemned.

There is one view given in this volume, which, if it approaches at all to the truth, and that it has some foundation we shall believe (whether this book shall be proved authentic or not), should make us sincerely grateful that we live under a better influence. We mean the view of depravity, not merely of the people of Italy, but of many among the higher ranks in the British empire. It is a consequence of a government, as well as of individual conduct, founded on just principles, that not only their immediate results, but those that are more distant and contingent, shall be prosperous and happy.

We have thus far gone upon the supposition, that the Conversations, which are the subject of them, are authentic. Since the above remarks were written, we perceive that the London papers endeavour to disWe doubt not that credit them. There may be, and doubtless there are, some misrepresentations con- among the middling classes of British sotained in Captain Medwin's collection. Still ciety, public opinion is as powerful a guara great deal of what is reported, agrees so dian of virtue and morality, as it is in New well, both with the accounts of Lord Byron England. But the misfortune is, that a class from other sources, and the opinions we should exist, which may be in some measure naturally form of his character from his above the influence of this opinion. But the writings, that we incline to the belief, that corner-stone of the structure of our governthey are in the main correct. There are ment, the principle which recognises the two obvious causes for mistakes and incon-natural equality of the rights of mankind, sistencies in a work of this sort. The first and refuses to admit the absurd pretensions is, that few things are more difficult than to of primogeniture,-prevents the entailment retain and correctly repeat the substance, of estates and titles; with a silent and conand much more, the words of any conversa tinual operation, obstructs the unnatural tion, after some hours have elapsed. The separation of wealth and industry, of labour memory of man is very treacherous, and and enjoyment; and puts an eternal veto besides the interval between the time when upon the elevation of a body of men, above the words were spoken, and that when they the control of the opinion and moral sense were noted down,-we are also to consider of their fellows. As yet we are a young that which inrvened between the making people, and have allowed the natural affecof the notes and the publishing of the col- tion which we must feel for the land of our lection. Notes, which, as Captain Medwin fathers, the soil which gave birth to our tells us, were only intended for reference, nation, to make us morbidly sensible to any

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