A FEW REMARKS UPON THE POET, ELICITED BY THE REJECTION OF BY HENRY AUSTEN DRIVER, AUTHOR OF "HAROLD DE BURUN;"-"THE ARABS;" LONDON: ." &c. PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, ORME, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONG MANS, PATERNOSTER ROW. To be obtained also at 28, King Street, Cheapside. M.DCCC.XXXVIII. In giving publicity to the following remarks, the Author has no other end in view than to do justice to BYRON, and promote, to the extent of his abilities, the NATIONAL object suggested. As a mouse may release a lion, so, a trifling Brochure like the present, however humble in the scale of literature, may help to set free the Fame of the Poet from the entanglements of prejudice: while the general hints thrown out-though for a somewhat gigantic object-may, under higher auspices, be as easily practicable, as the accomplishment of them would be greatly creditable to the spirit of the country. BYRON AND "THE ABBEY." By the communion of the imperishable mind the dead still dwell among the living. But the PERSONAL CHARACTER of a distinguished Writer, however unjustly or unwisely confounded with his LITERARY REPUTATION in his own era, will generally become a question of secondary consideration in the estimation of posterity. During his life he is, undoubtedly, amenable to society for his public conduct, so far as it may be influential upon others. But though the jealous eye of observation may glare upon his immediate actions; though his country may claim a moral right to sit in judgment upon him when he dies; and though the minute details of his personal biography may be occasionally referred to as matters of curiosity by succeeding generations; the works of his GENIUS will become the permanent and paramount objects of interest; while he himself will be ordinarily remembered as little more than ▲ NAME encircled with the halo of their celebrity. The personal history of every great man, nevertheless, may be considered as a portion of the annals of his country; and, as such, ought to be correctly recorded. When therefore such an one departs the world, it is the duty of those of his contemporaries who have survived him, to disengage their minds as much as possible from existing prejudices; to see that the judgment pronounced upon him, in their own time, be as nearly as may be a just one; and that the tribute paid to his memory be such as will be most creditable to their own discernment, and most expressive of their own candour in the opinion of posterity. We are led to these observations by the fate of one, who, though renowned through all the enlightened nations of the earth, is yet unjustly slighted and aspersed by many on his native soil. Twice have the gates of "The Abbey" been closed against the illustrious BYRON. His friends and admirers, on the arrival of his remains from Missolonghi, asked the Dean of Westminster if his illumined head Might find repose among the honoured dead? but they were answered-"No!" His body was therefore taken to make a TEMPLE of the rustic church of Hucknall. They asked again, if a marble tribute to his genius might be permitted to shine amidst the gothic shadows of "The Abbey?" but again they were answered-" No!" and the Statue of the great Poet still lies in the obscurity of the Custom-house of this- "Metropolis of the world!" But few of us were aware of the neglect, or even of the existence of this noble work of art. But, on the announcement of the fact, simultaneously in both Houses of Parliament, the spirit of thousands was quickenedthe fire of controversy rekindled-and the great original himself again summoned from the tomb to stand before the moral tribunal of his country. In the ensuing sessions the Legislature will probably consider the degree of respect which ought to be paid to his memory: but, in the meantime, curiosity is on tip-toe, and conjecture busy as to the probable destination of this monument, said to be one of the Chefs-d'Euvre of Thorwaldsen, the finest Sculptor of the day, executed in honour of the first of our modern Poets. And it is an enquiry of commanding interest: because the decision upon this particular case may probably determine the general question as to the fitness of "The Abbey" as a National receptacle for the ashes and monuments of our celebrated men. Hitherto, however, it has been considered as dedicated to this noble purpose. It is therefore important, for the honour of our distinguished Bard, to ascertain, whether it be the opinion of an enlightened people, or whether it be merely the voice of a limited party, that has thus declared his bones unworthy to repose within the sanctuary of "The Abbey," and his effigy unfit to rank among the laureled of the nation. Does any consistent reason exist for such repulsion?-This is the great question. If none consistent— then the act cannot be considered as national:—and if not national, it is time that the Nation should look to it. Whatever reason may have been assigned for his exclusion, it must have had reference, either to his RELIGION, or his MORALITY; or to his TALENTS and INFLUENCE as a writer. It will not require, we think, much argument to shew, that upon neither of these grounds can any valid objection be raised against his entrance into the monumental Society of his literary predecessors. |