be spent in her service; but, unless driven by some
great necessity, I will not touch a farthing of the sum intended for
my sister's children. Whatever I can accomplish with my income, and
my personal exertions, shall be cheerfully done. When Greece is
secure against external enemies, I will leave the Greeks to settle
their government as they like. One service more, and an eminent
service it will be, I think I may perform for them. You, Parry,
shall have a schooner built for me, or I will buy a vessel; the
Greeks shall invest me with the character of their ambassador, or
agent: I will go to the United States, and procure that free and
enlightened government to set the example of recognising the
federation of Greece as an independent state. This done, England
must follow the example, and then the fate of Greece will be
permanently fixed, and she will enter into all her rights as a member
of the great commonwealth of Christian Europe."

This intention will, to all who have ever looked at the effects of
fortune on individuals, sufficiently show that Byron's part in the
world was nearly done. Had he lived, and recovered health, it might
have proved that he was then only in another lunation: his first was
when he passed from poesy to heroism. But as it was, it has only
served to show that his mind had suffered by the decadency of his
circumstances, and how much the idea of self-exaltation weakly
entered into all his plans. The business was secondary to the style
in which it should be performed. Building a vessel! why think of the
conveyance at all? as if the means of going to America were so scarce
that there might be difficulty in finding them. But his mind was
passing from him. The intention was unsound--a fantasy--a dream of
bravery in old age--begotten of the erroneous supposition that the
cabinets of Christendom would remain unconcerned spectators of the
triumph of the Greeks, or even of any very long procrastination of
their struggle.

CHAPTER XLVII

The last Illness and Death of Lord Byron--His last Poem

Although in common parlance it may be said, that after the attack of
epilepsy Lord Byron's general health did not appear to have been
essentially impaired, the appearance was fallacious; his constitution
had received a vital shock, and the exciting causes, vexation and
confusion, continued to exasperate his irritation.

On the 1st of March he complained of frequent vertigoes, which made
h