Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron, 1788-1824 -- Last years; Poets, English -- 19th century -- Biography
'With respect to Prince Mavrocordato, to whom Lord Byron had rendered
the most important services, both as a personal friend and in his
capacity of Governor-General of Western Greece, it is unnecessary to
say that he could not have received a severer blow. When I saw Lord
Byron at Genoa last year, I well remember with what enthusiasm he
spoke of his intended visit, and how much he regretted not having
joined the standard of freedom long before. When once in Greece, he
espoused her most sacred cause with zeal. Up to the time of his fatal
illness he had not advanced less than fifty thousand dollars, and
there is no doubt but he intended to devote the whole of his private
income to the service of the confederation.'
Millingen says:
'The most dreadful public calamity could not have spread more general
consternation, or more profound and sincere grief, than the unexpected
news of Lord Byron's death. During the few months he had lived among
the people of Missolonghi, he had given so many proofs of the
sincerity and extent of his zeal for the advancement of their best
interests. He had, with so much generosity, sacrificed considerable
sums to that purpose; he had relieved the distress of so many
unfortunate persons, that everyone looked upon him as a father and
public benefactor. These titles were not, as they mostly are, the
incense of adulation, but the spontaneous tribute of overflowing
gratitude. He had succeeded in inspiring the soldiers with the
brightest and most sanguine expectations. Full of confidence in a
chief they loved, they would have followed him in the boldest
enterprises. To-day they must follow the corpse of him whom they
received but yesterday with the liveliest acclamations.'
Trelawny, who arrived at Missolonghi four days after Byron's death, thus
writes to Stanhope at Salona:
'Lord Byron is dead. With all his faults, I loved him truly; he is
connected with every event of the most interesting years of my
wandering life. His everyday companion, we lived in ships, boats, and
in houses, together; we had no secrets, no reserve, and though we
often differed in opinion, we never quarrelled. It gave me pain
witnessing his frailties; he only wanted a little excitement to awaken
and put forth virtues that redeemed them all.... This is no private
grief; the world has lost its greatest man, I my best friend.'
On April 28 Trelawny wrote again to Stanhope:
'I think Byron's name was the great means of getting the loan. A Mr.
Marshall with £8,000 per annum was as far as Corfu, and turned back on
hearing of Byron's death.... The greatest man in the world has
resigned his mortality in favour of this sublime cause; for had he
remained in Italy he had lived!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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