peculiar residence of the spirit of commerce, trade, and speculation. Interest is the sole Deity worshipped there, and every thing else is sacrificed at its shrine. The nobility do not scruple to engage in trade and manufactures. Nothing is wanting but a free government to give encouragement to enterprize. Business is inscribed in legible characters on every visage, and wherever you turn, or whomsoever you meet, business stares you in the face. These, therefore, who have no employment, and only pleasure in view, have no business at Genoa.

Although Lord Byron's literary labours were come to a period, and he appears to have wholly resigned the pen (with the exception of some contributions to the periodical publication "The Liberal," which have not, however, his name affixed, so as to enable the reader to be able to specify them), yet he by no means relaxed from his usual activity, and perseverance in the cause of philanthropy. He maintained a very extensive correspondence with England, and various parts of the Continent, in favour of Greece, as with the most able, zealous, and upright leaders among the Greeks themselves, as will be seen hereafter, and extracts given from some of the letters. He was busily engaged in arranging with England, and elsewhere, his pecuniary matters, and in providing those articles which were most likely to be useful to, and to be most wanted by the Greeks. His

IN FAVOUR OF THE GREEKS.

35

favourite scheme was to finish, equip, and organize, a corps of engineers, and artillery-men, and . a train of artillery, with which the Greeks were wholly unprovided, and which alone was wanting to give them a decided superiority over the Turks. He engaged medical and chirurgical assistants, and provided surgical instruments, medicines, bandages, &c. &c. and took such measures of foresight, as the most experienced commander of an army would have pursued, if about to take the command of a most important expedition. Every, the least minutiae of actual service, were attended to; his preparations betokened that his prudence was equal to his philanthropy and zeal in the cause of Greece. This, therefore, although there is the least to show for it, was, perhaps, one of the most active periods of his life. Lord Byron could not be idle, and whatever pursuit he entered upon he engaged in with his whole heart and soul"toto se corpore miscuit."

CHAPTER II.

COMMUNICATIONS RESPECTING LORD BYRON.

Arrival at Vado.—At Genoa.-Col. Burr's and Rev. Mr. Johnson's Visit to Albaro.--Defence of Lord Byron.-Chit-Chat.—His travelling Dress, &c.-Eccentricities -Mr. D. Stewart.-The Traveller.-Balls.-Signora Bonville.-Her Benefit, &c. &c. -Liberality.-Anxiety.-Captain Stewart Rut.-A strange Arrival and Departure.-Canova the Sculptor. Cardinal York. An adopted Child.—Humanity of Lord Byron.-His Reverence for the Dead.-A Tomb-stone Adventure-Purgatory and Wit.-Lord Byron's Respect for Religion.Abhorrence of Atheism.-Devotion to the Greek Cause.Mr. Wright.-Busts.-Sea Excursions.-Excess in Bathing. -In Riding. Habits at Home. Narrow Escape from Death. Byron's Bridge. Fool-hardiness Reproved. — A Trick in Good Humour, and a Sulky Return.-Colonel Carr in Disgrace; Cruelty.-Humourous Adventure with a Magistrate. The Charlatan seized.-Leaves Genoa.-Mr. Denzell, the Artist.—True Courage in a Storm.-Rome.-Principle.-Peculiarities.-Patronage of a Painter.-Bologna.The Count and Countess G——.—Recreations.-Don Juan. -Lord Byron's Opinion, and Manner of Writing it.-His Wishes. Quick Composition. - Italian Songs.-Hours of Idleness. Saves a Venetian from Death.-Reconciles him to his Father.-Compelled to quit Bologna, &c. &c.

-

LORD BYRON, during the autumn of the year 1822, was wandering on the eastern shores of

CAPTAIN STEWART.

37

Italy, without any settled determination where to take up his winter quarters, when chance brought him into the town of Vado, and the Blossom, British sloop of war, into the bay, where she anchored. The captain landed, and as he entered the hotel met with Lord Byron, and recognized him through the disguise of a mountain farmer, with a fowling-piece under his arm. They were old friends,

sides was cordial and

and the greeting on both sincere. Captain Stewart spent several days on the mountains with his friend, who lodged at a farm-house perfectly incog. and attended only by one Italian servant.

The Blossom, it was intended, should remain for some months at Genoa to protect British maritime rights, and proceed to Smyrna in the spring with a convoy. Lord Byron agreed to accompany and pass the winter in the same place in the society of his newly found friend; they arrived at Genoa without accident, and his Lordship fixed himself in one wing of an ancient palace, situated in that part of the city called the "Mount of Albaro," distant from the noise of the port, and disagreeable effluvia of the markets.

He had often been heard to express the greatest contempt for the character of a modern Genoese, and he was every way justified in doing so; they are at once the proudest and meanest nobility, and, I might add, poorest on the shores of Italy,

38

CHARACTER OF THE GENOESE.

-always boasting of their ancestors without ever being roused by a repetition of their actions to any deed of heroism, or the practice of a single virtue-totally devoid of integrity-unsusceptible of honest friendship-slaves to passion and voluptuous ease, without feeling the warmth of pure love or the pleasures of a domestic circle. The lowest orders are, as might be expected from the character of their masters, sunk in depravity: they are the bravoes of Italy; and, at Naples, assassins, who walk publicly the streets, are branded with the epithet of "Genoese." It is known that his Lordship felt a kind of horror in having any communication with these people: as an instance, there was a young man in the service of the commander of the Trident, Admiral Rowley's flag-ship, at Malta. He spoke different languages, and made his services acceptable to his Lordship on various occasions. At length his Lordship expressed a wish to engage him for a voyage to Asia Minor, and questioned him as to the place of his birth; he replied, "At Vado, near Genoa." Lord Byron shrugged up his shoulders, turned on his heel, and never spoke to him again on the subject, though he employed and paid him well afterwards for his services. We all have our prejudices, and considering the general character of the Genoese, his was certainly a pardonable one. Before we speak of Lord Byron's habits and occupation at Genoa, it is right