Byron E-Book

John Nichol

• Herausgeber: John Nichol
• Kategorie: Sachliteratur, Reportagen, Biografien
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction. First published in 1880, this biography explores the life of Lord Byron (1788-1824), one of Britain's greatest poets. Setting Byron's work in an historical context, Nichol shows how he was idolised as well as morally condemned, and discusses the reflection of Byron's flamboyant person in his famous literary characters.

Leseprobe

BYRON

By

John Nichol

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Ancestry and Family.

Early Years and School Life.

Cambridge, and First Period of Authorship.

Two Years of Travel.

Second Period of Authorship—In London—Correspondence with Scott

Marriage, and Farewell to England.

Life Abroad—Switzerland to Venice—Third Period of

Authorship.—Childe Harold, iii., iv.—Manfred.

1820–1821.

1821–1823.

1821–1824.

Characteristics, and Place in Literature.

Chapter 1.

Ancestry and Family.

Byron’s life was passed under the fierce light that beats upon an intellectual throne. He succeeded in making himself—what he wished to be-the most notorious personality in the world of letters of our century. Almost every one who came in contact with him has left on record various impressions of intimacy or interview. Those whom he excluded or patronized, maligned; those to whom he was genial, loved him. Mr. Southey, in all sincerity, regarded him as the principle of Evil incarnate; an American writer of tracts in the form of stories is of the same opinion: to the Countess Guiccioli he is an archangel. Mr. Carlyle considers him to have been a mere “sulky dandy.” Goethe ranks him as the first English poet after Shakespeare, and is followed by the leading critics of France, Italy, and Spain. All concur in the admission that Byron was as proud of his race as of his verse, and that in unexampled measure the good and evil of his nature were inherited and inborn. His genealogy is, therefore, a matter of no idle antiquarianism.

There are legends of old Norse Buruns migrating from their home in Scandinavia, and settling, one branch in Normandy, another in Livonia. To the latter belonged a distant Marshal de Burun, famous for the almost absolute power he wielded in the then infant realm of Russia. Two members of the family came over with the Conqueror, and settled in England. Of Erneis de Burun, who had lands in York and Lincoln, we hear little more. Ralph, the poet’s ancestor, is mentioned in Doomsday Book—our first authentic record—as having estates in Nottinghamshire and Derby. His son Hugh was lord of Horestan Castle in the latter county, and with his son of the same name, under King Stephen, presented the church of Ossington to the monks of Lenton. Tim latter Hugh joined their order; but the race was continued by his son Sir Roger, who gave lands to the monastery of Swinstead. This brings us to the reign of Henry II. (1155–1189), when Robert de Byron adopted the spelling of his name afterwards retained, and by his marriage with Cecilia, heir of Sir Richard Clayton, added to the family possessions an estate; in Lancashire, where, till the time of Henry VIII., they fixed their seat. The poet, relying on old wood-carvings at Newstead, claims for some of his ancestors a part in the crusades, and mentions a name not apparently belonging to that age—