side of life, were, by a view of all
the circumstances of his present destiny considerably diminished. While,
at the same time, not a few doubts and misgivings, which had never
before so strongly occurred to me, with regard to his own fitness, under
any circumstances, for the matrimonial tie, filled me altogether with a
degree of foreboding anxiety as to his fate, which the unfortunate
events that followed but too fully justified."

Lord Byron might still have avoided this misfortune by giving up
marriage; but the die was cast. His evil genius presented him with no
other alternative than to rush on to the catastrophe.

We must add that if, unfortunately, the halo of perfection supposed to
encircle the heiress was calculated to make him tremble, it was also of
a nature to flatter his self-love. This reputation was, in the eyes of
Moore, the principal cause of his preference for Miss Milbank. However
that may be, in the last days of December, accompanied by his friend Mr.
Hobhouse, he set out for Seaham, the residence of Sir Ralph, Miss
Milbank's father. And on the morning of the 2d of January, surrounded by
visions of the past, by gloomy forebodings, having in his hand the fatal
ring that had been dug up in his garden at the moment when Miss
Milbank's consent arrived; with a beating heart, and eyes all dizzy,
that would have made him draw back, if his honor had not been too far
engaged, Lord Byron advanced toward the altar. From that fatal day, if
his star of glory did not cease to shine, or even if it shone more
brightly seen through the atmosphere of misfortune, nevertheless repose
and lasting happiness were gone for him.

An heiress for a wife, but who had no actual fortune, naturally forced
him into great expenses, that soon went beyond his resources. His
creditors, lured by the riches said to belong to Miss Milbank, came down
upon him, as if the wife's fortune could be used to pay the husband's
debts.

His marriage had taken place in January, and already, in October, he was
obliged to sell his library. Shortly afterward his furniture was seized,
and he had to undergo humiliations, all the more keenly felt, that they
were quite unmerited, since his debts were inherited with the property.
Lord Byron--who had a real horror of debt--with his spirit of justice,
moderate desires, simple tastes, detached as he was from material
enjoyments, and even, perhaps, through pride, would never have fallen
into such embarrassmen