Byron

f his genius, his wealth, and his rank. Everything that a man could perform was expected of him; and many a hardship and grievance was borne patiently, in hope th

ocordato, the Governor-General of Western Greece, was, according to Millingen, slightly afflicted with envy. He had imagined, when using every means during Byron's stay at Cephalonia to induce him to come to Missolonghi, that he was preparing for himself a powerful instrument to execute his own designs, and that, by placing Byron in a prominent position which would require far more knowledge of the state of things than Byron could possibly possess, he would helplessly drift, and eventually fall entirely under his own guidance. But in this Mavrocordato was

pposed rival's measures in a luke-warm manner, whilst he endeavoured in secret to thwart them. He was looked upon as the caus

conduct, and from that moment lost much of th

subject, and the haughty manner in which he received Mavrocordato, ten

him, ever to take a part in civil administration. He knew too well how little his impetuous character fitted him for the tedious and intricate details of Gre

have been merely temporary. Their principles and love of order were the same, as also the ends they proposed

t part in the glorious revolution of Greece. He has talent; he professes liberal

e. Their aims were the same, but their methods entirely different. Byron recognized the virtues of Stanhope, and never seriously opposed any of his schemes. Stanhope was absolutely boiling over with enthusiasm regarding the advantages of publishing a newspaper. His paramount policy, as he states himself in a letter to Mr. Bowring, was 'to strive to offend no one, but, on the contrary, to make all friendly to the p

Mr. Bowring a letter which explains the position exactly; and a very peculiar position it was. After asking Byron whether he will subscribe ￡50 for the s

y of the press is guaranteed by the Constitution.' Now, I wish to know whether your lordship was serious when you made the observation, or whether you only said so to provoke me? If your lordship was serious, I shall consider it my duty to communicate this a

Stanhope replied that he thought it applicable to all countries, and essential in Greece, in order to put an end to the state of anarchy which then prevailed. Byron said

ersation with Byron on the subject of Mr. Bentham. One does not know w

to Spain and calculated to do great mischief in Greece. I did not object to his lordship's attacking Mr. Bentham's principles; what I objected to were his personalities. His lordship never reasoned on any of Mr. Bentham's writings, but merely made sport of them. I therefore asked him what it was that he objected

ked what proof

ral abuse of Liberal principles." Lord Byron said that if he had held up his finger he could have crushed the press.

med against the Li

yron said: "No; from the Hunts, Cartwrights, etc." "And still," said I, "you presented Cartwri

Our principles,' continues Stanhope, 'are diametrically opposite. If Lord Byron acts up to his professions, he will be the greatest-if not, the meanest-of man

"Well, you shall see;

e light to conduct him to the passage, but

ommittee wasting his precious time in writing such a letter as this for the information of its chairman. Stanhope meant no harm, we feel sure of that; but such a letter was little calculated to advance

s incompatible with her situation, in respect to the neighbouring States of Europe. Colonel Stanhope, whose enthusiasm for the cause was extreme, supposed the Greeks to be endowed with the same virtue which their ancestors displayed. We, who live in the twentieth

the press, laid himself open to a rejoinder which is not recorded in the report of these proceedings. Byron's reply was to the point: 'And yet, witho

joked, the more serious Stanhope became, and their discussions seldom ended without a strong reproof, which irritated Byron for the moment

e that honest right hand." Two such men were worthy of being friends, and it is to be regretted that an injudicious cham

tor, 'a hot-headed republican' named Jean Jacques Meyer, who had been a Swiss doctor, was particularly unfitted for the post, and soo

ojectors. Colonel Stanhope and myself had considerable differences of opinion on this subject, and (what will appear laughable enough) to such a degree that he charged me with despotic principles, and I him with ultra-radicalism. Dr. Meyer, the Editor, with his unrestrained freedom of the press, and who has the freedom to exercise an unlimited discretion-not allowing any articles but his own and those like them to appear-and in declaiming again

d attack on monarchy, Byron immedi

newspaper, entitled the Greek Telegraph, w

re, for the Carbonari and discontented English reformers. The first number appeared on 20th March; but it was written in a tone so opposite to what had been expected, that it might, in some degree, be considered as a protest against its prospectus. Lord Byron was the cause of this change. More than ever convinced that nothing could be more useless, and even more dangerous, to the interests o

ba

attempted to change their form of government, and by so doing to draw down the hatred and opposition of one of the two great parties that at present divide the civilized world. Lord Byron's wish was to show that the contest was simply one between barbarism and civilization-between Christianity and Isl

iting the Greeks; the approach of danger and the

and unite all the means the Greeks possess; with money we have experienced the

nd elegies of fanatics and enthusiasts; but now

that country. Prince Mavrocordato wrote privately to Sir Thomas Maitland[19] in the hope of averting trouble consequent upon the infraction o

sposition on the part of the Government here to disavow; and they are also disposed to give every satisfaction in their power. You must all be persuaded how difficult it is, under existing circumstances, for the Greeks to keep up discipline, however they may all be disposed to do so. I am doing all I can to convince them of the necessity of the strictest ob

9, 1824. On February 11 Byron heard the news o

s no proof of this. I know that his government has been very much censured in England, and far be it from me to approve of the arbitrary or despotic measures of any man; but those who

itude towards Mavrocordato, to whic

its cause, and was probably the most capable and trustworthy of all the Greek chieftains. Lord Byron said that he agreed with Mavrocordato, that Missolonghi and its dependencies were of the greatest importance to Greece; and as long as the Prince

by Parry, seems to fall naturall

t which he had, rowed by a boy; and in a large boat, accompanying us, were Prince Mavrocordato and his attendants. As I was viewing, on one hand, the Turkish fleet attentively, and reflecting on its powers, and our means of defence; and looking, on the other,

yron, appearing to be very serious

storm it in a few minutes. With eight gunboats properly armed with 24-pounders, they might batter both Missolonghi and Anatolica to the ground. And there sits the old gentlewoman, Prince Mavrocordato and his troop, to whom I applied an epithet I will not here repeat, as if they were all perfectly safe. They know that their means of defe

k upon himself the task of pacifying both the Prince and me, and though I was at first very angry, and the Prince, I believe, very much annoyed, he succeeded. It was, in fact, only Lord Byron's

peat it the first time the two opponents were in presence of one another. This was a habit, says Parry, of which his acquaintance were well aware, and it spared Byron the trouble of listening to many idle and degrading calumnies. He probably expected thereby to teach others a sincerity which he so highly prize

n assault by the enemy. The fortifications, that had suffered in the previous campaign, were left in statu quo. The Greek fleet was practically non-existent, owing to the insufficiency of money wherewith to pay the crews. In addition to internal dissensions, which might at any moment give rise to a civil war, the French and English Governments were continually demanding satisf

penly defied and opposed him. His hostility to Mavrocordato became so marked that both Greeks and English were persuaded that he

it to the Greek Committee or some of its agents; and this report of the proceedings of their special and chosen messenger made him, in the irritation of the moment, regard them as acting even tr

d guns, and when they asked for a sword they sent the lever of a printing-press. The only wonder was that they did not send out a pack of beagles. Colonel Stanhope, who might perhaps have been of some use in a military capacity, began organizing the whole coun

o patriot. I thought Colonel Stanhope, being a soldier, would have shown himself differently. He ought to know what a nation like Greece

heme for the cultivation of the soil and the development of commerce. He always maintained that Colonel Stanhope began at the wrong end

oceedings! nothing could be more impolitic; it will cause ill blood throughout the country, and very possibly be the means of again bringing Greece under the Turkish yoke. Can it be supposed that the Greek Priesthood, who have great infl

of the diet which he prescribed for himself against the advice of his medical attendant, so affected

never left him a moment's peace at any hour of the day. At seven in the evening I went into his room on some business, and found him lying on the sofa: he was not asleep, and, seeing me enter, called out, "I am not asleep-come in-I am not well." At eight o'clock he went downstairs to visit Colonel Stanhope. The conversation turned upon our newspaper. We agreed that it was not calcu

at actually happened, we refer the re

riends about it. After a little time they went their several ways, and more agreeable subjects were introduced. Lord Byron began joking with me about Colonel Stanhope's occupations, and said he thought the author would have his brigade of artillery ready before the soldier got his printing-press fixed. There was then nobody in the room but his lordship, Mr. Hesketh, and myself. There was evidently a constrained manner about Lord Byron, and he complained of thirst. He ordered his servant to bring him some cider, which I entreated him not to drink in that state. Th

nefit, I succeeded in making him swallow a small quantity. In another minute his teeth were closed, his speech and senses g

ses and his speech. He asked for Colonel Stanhope, as he had something particular to say to him, should there be a probability of his not recovering. Colonel Stanhope came from the nex

ing to

atal. "Let me know," he said. "Do not think I am afraid to die-I am not." He told me that when he lost his speech he did not lose h

f living was a contributory cause. He ate nothing but fish, cheese, and vegetables-having regulated his table, says Gamba,

larm was brought to him that the Suliotes had risen, and w

n had broken out, and spread an alarm over the whole town. As a matter of fact, these troops were merely changing their quarters. These Germans were so inconsiderate, that during our absence at the arsenal they forced their way into Byron's bedroom, swearing that they had come to defend him and his house. Fortunately, we were not present, for, as this was only half an

ied leeches to the temples, which bled so copiously as almost to bring on syncope. Byron, alarmed to see the difficulty Dr. Bruno ha

the same man after this; a change took p

arguments could relieve him. He felt certain that his constitution had been ruined; that he was a worn-out man; and that his muscular power was gone. Flashes before his eyes, palpitations and anxieties, hourly afflicted him; and at times such a sense of faintness would over

gen that he did not wish for life; it ha

ng my days like Swift-a grinning idiot! Would to Heaven the day were arrived in which, rushing, sword in hand, on a bo

ure Byron made the follo

idst conflicting parties, politics, and (as far as regards public matters) circumstances. I have also been in an anxious state with regard to things which may be only interesting to my own private feelings, and, perhaps, not uniformly so temp

new edition of Lord Byron's 'Letters and Journals,'[21] was dashed o

e, and some danger, to unite the Suliotes for the good of G

he Turks, or the Devil,-they may cut me into more pieces than they

rson at the disposal of the Greek nat

ounding gloom was lightened now and then by some of Parry's stories. The following anecdote about Jeremy B

that Mr. Jeremy Bentham wished to see the stores and materials, preparing for the Greeks, and that he had done m

im before." Many of my readers may still be in the same state of ignoran

of the age, and for the honour now offered to you, I waited

ard of him before; but if he

mitive manner of living and early hours of philosophers, I arranged with my wife overnight that I would get up very early on the Saturday morning, that I might not keep Mr. Bentham waiting. Accordingly, I rose with the dawn, dressed myself in haste, and brushed off for Queen's Square, Westminster, as hard as my legs could carry me. On reaching the St

philosopher himself did not get up till noon, as he did not breakfast till so late, but in this I was also mistaken. About ten o'clock I was summoned to his presence, and mustered up all my courage and all my ideas for the meeting. His appearance struck me forcibly. His thin white locks, cut straight in the fashion of the Quakers, and hanging, or rather floating, on his shoulders; his garments something of Quaker colour and cut, and his frame rather square and muscular, with no exuberance of flesh, made up a singular-looking and not an inelegant old man. He welcomed me with a few hurried words, but without any ceremony, and then conducted me into several ro

on one side of his premises-I should envy him his garden more than his great reputation. On looking at him, I could but admire his hale, and even venerable, appearance. I understood he was seventy-three years of age, and therefore I concluded we should have a quiet, comfortable walk. Very much to my surprise, howev

health. But I must run after him;" and off set the youth in chase of the philosopher. I must not lose my companions, thought I, and off I set also. Of course the eyes of every human being in

wing him through the crowded streets. After seeing at Mr. Galloway's manufactory, not only the things which had been prepared for the Greeks, but his other engines and machines, we proceeded to another manufactory at the foot of Southwark Bridge, where our brigade of guns stood ready mounted. When Mr. Bentham had satisfied his curiosity here also, and I had given him every information in my power, we set off to return to his house, that he might breakfast; I endeavoured to persuade him to take a hackney-coach, but in vain. We got on tolerably well, and without any adventures, tragical or comical, till we arrived at Fleet Street. We crossed from Fleet Market over towards Mr. Waithman's shop, and here, letting go my arm, he quitted the foot pavement, and set off again in one of his vagaries up Fleet Street. His clerk again set o

ooks and portraits hanging in the window. At length one of them arrested his attention more particularly. "Ah, ah," said he, in a hurried

a stock of provisions, I went at his dining hour, half-past ten o'clock, and supped with him. We had a great deal of conversation, particularly about mechanical subjects and the art of war. I found the

ughed much at its conclusion. He declared, when he had fished out every little circumstance, that he would not h

t in all that concerned the welfare of the wor

chanics, the working classes will soon find themselves deceived. If they permit any but mechanics to have the direction of their affairs, they will only become the tools of others. The real working man will soon be ousted, and his more cunning pretended friends will take possession and reap all the benefits. It gives me pleasure to think what a mass of natural intellect this will call into action. If the plan succeeds, an

is wretchedness; but it is perhaps to be preferred to the heartless, unmeaning dissipation of the higher orders. I am tha

nservative, he was not a party man in its narrow sense. He was a sworn foe to injustice, cruelty, and oppression; such was the alpha and omega of his political prejudices

of America

ges, from wanting a history. The spirit of jealousy and animosity excited by the contests between England and America is now subsiding. Should peace continue, prejudices on both sides will gradually decrease. Already the Americans are beginning, I think, to cultivate the antiquities of England, and, as they extend their inquiries, they will find othe