The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 11, July, 1835Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 11, July, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
"His humor in conversation, as in his works, was genial and free from
all causticity. He had a quick perception of faults and foibles, but
he looked upon poor human nature with an indulgent eye, relishing what
was good and pleasant, tolerating what was frail, and pitying what was
evil. It is this beneficent spirit which gives such an air of
bonhommie to Scott's humor throughout all his works. He played with
the foibles and errors of his fellow beings, and presented them in a
thousand whimsical and characteristic lights, but the kindness and
generosity of his nature would not allow him to be a satirist. I do
not recollect a sneer throughout his conversation any more than there
is throughout his works."
It is more difficult to fix upon an extract from the sketch of
Newstead Abbey, but we take the following as coming within the limits
of our notice:
"I was attracted to this grove, however, by memorials of a more
touching character. It had been one of the favorite haunts of the late
Lord Byron. In his farewell visit to the abbey, after he had parted
with the possession of it, he passed some time in this grove, in
company with his sister; and as a last memento, engraved their names
on the bark of a tree.
"The feelings that agitated his bosom during this farewell visit, when
he beheld around him objects dear to his pride, and dear to his
juvenile recollections, but of which the narrowness of his fortune
would not permit him to retain possession, may be gathered from a
passage in a poetical epistle, written to his sister in after years.
"'I did remind you of our own dear lake
By the old hall, _which may be mine no more_;
Lemans is fair; but think not I forsake
The sweet remembrance of a dearer shore:
Sad havoc Time must with my memory make
Ere _that_ or _thou_ can fade these eyes before;
Though, like all things which I have loved, they are
Resign'd for ever, or divided far.
I feel almost at times as I have felt
In happy childhood; trees, and flowers, and brooks,
Which do remember me of where I dwelt
Ere my young mind was sacrificed to books,
Come as of yore upon me, and can melt
My heart with recognition of their looks,
And even at moments I would think I see
Some living things I love--but none like thee.'
"I searched the grove for sometime, before I found the tree on which
Lord Byron had left his frail memorial. It was an elm of peculiar
form, having two trunks, which sprang from the same root, and after
growing side by side, mingled their branches together. He had selected
it doubtless, as emblematical of his sister and himself. The names of
BYRON and AUGUSTA were still visible. They had been deeply cut in the
bark, but the natural growth of the tree was gradually rendering them
illegible, and a few years hence, strangers will seek in vain for this
record of fraternal affection.
* * * * *
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