INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xvii Biography, handing down his name to posterity in a liberal and disinterested manner, including the whole man,—that examines his actions, that reviews his writings, that relates his opinions, or that chronicles his times, has hitherto appeared. It is with such a work as this that we desire now to present the public; and looking round the world for a distinguished and suitable Patron, in order to further and accomplish our wishes, we find it impossible to place ourselves under the protection of one more calculated to do us honour, to ensure us success, to emblazon, and give greater publicity to our work, over this country, Europe, or the world, than he whom his Lordship has designated as "an orator, a poet, a wit, a statesman, and an universal genius.' Under the patronage, therefore, of the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. M.P., we feel happy in reposing both ourselves and our labours. Although the portrait which we have given of Lord Byron is spoken of in full in the course of the work, it may here be necessary to mention, that it is engraved from the original miniature, drawn from life by Holmes, being the last that his Lordship ever sat for, and the one which he was best satisfied with, as his hand-writing which accompanies it will attest. The portrait, too, of the Countess Guiccioli, the beautiful, graceful, and accomplished favourite of his Lordship, whom he used to call by the sweet-sounding epithet of "Peccinina," xviii INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. is made from a drawing by a celebrated Italian artist; and as it is the only one in this country, and, moreover, has received the approbation of his Lordship, it will doubtless be considered an appropriate offering. For the gratification of those also who are curious in autography, we have given the fac-simile of a letter of Lord Byron's. On the whole, we have laboured, and spared neither pains nor expense, to deserve the approbation of the public, and to render it an acceptable service; for the Life of such a man as Lord Byron-the poète guerrier-was confessedly and indubitably a great desideratum in literature; one, indeed, which the literary world could not dispense with, but must have, remaining absolutely imperfect without it. In that which we now offer we have judged of the man, his faults and his virtues, impartially, by the standard of truth. We have looked at him as a man; we have considered that "to err is human;" we have judged of him as mankind ought to judge of one another; we have "Nothing extenuated Nor set down aught in malice." Yet nevertheless, "Whoe'er expects a perfect work to see, Thinks what ne'er was, nor is, and ne'er can be.” To those therefore who perchance may feel disposed to cavil; to the reviewers in general, and to those in particular who so unmercifully attacked Lord Byron living, INTRODUCTORY ADDRESS. xix and who may feel an itching inclination to vent their spleen upon Lord Byron dead; we exclaim, "Si deficient vires, audacia certe laus erit;" and further beg leave to remind them of what Napoleon said in allusion to the malice of Chateaubriand-" ce n'est que ces láches qui crachent sur un cadavre." On the other hand, to his admirers, and to the liberal public, we trust we may with tolerable confidence say, that our Volumes will prove a thorough illustration, and a valuable addition to the Works of the Noble Bard, and an accompaniment to the irradiations of his transcendant genius, as they contain the whole of him, from his boyhood up to the memorable part he took in the Greek revolution, in which cause he expired. We, therefore, take our leave in the words of the motto of his own family, which were never more truly or happily applied than to the Noble and much-lamented Bard himself, "Crede Byron;" for he was both good and great, and well worthy of belief: therefore," Crede Byron !!" June 1825. CONTENTS TO VOLUME I. George Gordon, the sixth Lord Byron;-his first Rudiments of Education at a Public School at Aberdeen, in Scot- land; succeeds to the Title on the Death of his Great Uncle, without issue;-removed to Harrow School, near London; from thence goes to the University of Cam- Page Lord Byron takes up his residence at Newstead-Abbey, the seat of his paternal Ancestors.-Description of the Abbey, and adjoining Scenery.-Publication of Lord Byron's first work, "Hours of Idleness."-Severely handled by the Edinburgh Reviewers.-The Author lashes the Reviewers in return. His temper, rather soured by the severity of criticism, is put to a more severe trial by a disappoint- |