( 291 ) CHAPTER X. Lord Byron crosses over to France.-Proceeds to Brussels, and Waterloo.-Thence up the Rhine to Basle, Soleure, Morat, and Clarens.-Takes up his residence at the latter place." The prisoner of Chillon."-Report of Lord Byron's Misanthropy.-Letter giving an account of his residence, and manners.-Indefatigable application to his studies.-Extract from his Sketch Book." Manfred," a Drama.-Leaves Geneva for the Milanese.-At Ferrara he eulogizes the poet Tasso.-His Monody on R. B. Sheridan, Esq. LORD Byron crossed over to France (in 1816), and as his former tour is described in the first and second cantos of "Childe Harold," he now proceeds, in a third canto, to give a new series of observations on his travels, with the advantage of having matured both his plan and his judgment by experience. Harold is somewhat older than when he first appeared in public; his vigour is increased, together with his confidence in his own powers; and, what is still better, his misanthropy is proportionably decreased, and his mind is become more sensitive. But still we cannot fail to recognize the author in the hero; they travel together; they reflect, they moralize together; it is impossible for the idea to separate them for a moment; and, perhaps, that very idea adds consi 292 BRUSSELS -WATERLOO. derably to the interest of the piece. The third canto opens with his darling theme: "Is thy face like thy mother's, my fair child! But with a hope. Awaking with a start, The waters heave around me; - and on high The winds lift up their voices: I depart, Whither I know not; but the hour's gone by When Albion's lessening shores could grieve or glad mine eye."_ He crosses rapidly to Brussels, and arrives at the field of Waterloo; he describes the revels of the British officers and the Belgian fair, where all went merry "as a marriage-bell," until the alarm is given-"The foe! they come! they come !"He next paints the confusion that ensues, and the horrors of a battle; he commemorates the valour of those who fell in that ensanguin'd field, and sympathizes with the many mourners who must rue that fatal day. The poetry is suited to the subject; now the author rushes headlong, like the war-horse, into the ranks; again, he is gentle, pathetic, and tender; sometimes, indeed, he is rather too abstruse and metaphysical, as if he meant more than he wished to meet the eye. Thus, in the apostrophe to Napoleon Buonaparte, he seems afraid to praise, yet unwilling to condemn. He NAPOLEON'S WANT OF FEELING. 293 paints, however, in strong colours, the restlessness and agitation of conquerors, and the dangers that surround them. In a note on this part he makes the following curious remark: "The great error of Napoleon, if we have writ our annals true, was a continued obtrusion on mankind of his want of all community of feeling for or with them; perhaps more offensive to human vanity than the active cruelty of more trembling and suspicious tyranny. Such were his speeches to public assemblies as well as individuals; and the single expression which he is said to have used on returning to Paris, after the Russian winter had destroyed his army, rubbing his hands over a fire, This is pleasanter than Moscow,' would probably alienate more favour from his cause than the destruction and reverses which led to the remark." This is a strange censure, falling from the lips of Lord Byron, who was himself charged with an entire want of community of feeling with or for mankind, which was the chief cause of the outcry that was raised against him. He even seems to take a pride in avowing this trait of his character, as appears from the following notice in the appendix to the "Doge of Venice :"-" The author of Sketches descriptive of Italy, &c., one of the hundred tours lately published, is extremely anxious to disclaim a possible charge of plagiarism from • Childe Harold' and Beppo.' He adds, that still less could this presumed coincidence arise from ' 294 COUNTESS BENZONI. 6 'my conversation,' as he had repeatedly declined an introduction to me while in Italy. Who this person may be I know not, but he must have been deceived by all or any of those who repeatedly offered to introduce him,' as I have invariably refused to receive any English with whom I was not previously acquainted, even when they had letters from England. I request this person not to sit down with the notion that he could have been introduced, since there was nothing I have so carefully avoided as any kind of intercourse with his countrymen, excepting the very few who were a considerable time resident in Venice, or had been of my previous acquaintance. Whoever made him any such offer was possessed of impudence equal to that of making such an assertion without having had it. The fact is, that I hold in utter abhorrence any contact with the travelling English, as my friend, the Consul-General Hoppner, and the Countess Benzoni (in whose house the conversazioni most frequented by them is held) could amply testify, were it worth while. I was persecuted by these tourists even to my ridingground at Lido, and reduced to the most disagreeable circuits to avoid them. At Madame Benzoni's I repeatedly refused to be introduced to them; of a thousand such presentations pressed upon me, I accepted two, and both were to Irish I should hardly have descended to speak of such trifles publicly, if the impudence of this women. EHRENBREITSTEIN. 295 Sketcher' had not forced me to a refutation of a disingenuous and gratuitously impertinent assertion, so meant to be; for what could it import to the reader to be told that the author had repeatedly declined an introduction, even had it been true, which, for the reasons I have above given, is scarcely possible? Except Lords Lansdowne, Jersey, and Lauderdale, Messrs. Scott, Hammond, Sir Humphrey Davy, the late Mr. Lewis, W. Bankes, Mr. Hoppner, Thomas Moore, Lord Kinnaird, his brother, Mr. Joy, and Mr. Hobhouse, I do not recollect to have exchanged a word with another Englishman since I left their country and almost all these I had known before. The others, and, God knows, there were some hundreds, who bored me with letters or visits, I refused to have any communication with, and shall be proud and happy when that wish becomes mutual.” We are lynx-eyed to the failings of others, blind as moles to our own. Lord Byron could not mend in himself, what he could see amiss in Buonaparte ! Lord Byron next proceeds to Coblentz, in the vicinity of which stands Ehrenbreitstein, one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, dismantled and blown up by the French at the truce of Leoben. It had been, and could only be reduced by famine or treachery. It yielded to the former, aided by surprise. After having seen the fortifi |