which he had borne for the sake of Greece, the bright hopes
which he was on the point of seeing realized, proved sufficiently what
the Greeks lost in losing him, and the misfortune which his death was to
them. Each one considered and mourned his loss as a private and as a
public calamity. In ordering the funeral, the governor of the town
exclaimed, 'This time the beautiful Easter rejoicings have turned for us
into hours of bitterness,' and he was right. All forgot Easter in
presence of the blow which was dealt them by the loss of such a man.

"Byron, as a poet, was enthusiastic, but his enthusiasm, like his
poetry, was deep; his policy in Greece was likewise intelligent and
profound. No dreams like those formed by most of the lovers of the
Greeks. No Utopian plans, democratic or anti-democratic. Even the press
appeared to him as yet uncalled-for. The independence of Greece, that
was the essential point at issue, and to obtain this end he counselled
the Greeks to be united among themselves, and to respect foreign courts.
His principal care was the organization of the army, and the procuring
of the funds necessary to maintain it. He loved glory, but only that
which is solid. He refused to take the title of Commander-general of
Continental Greece, which the Government and the nation offered him in
common accord. He hated politics as a rule, and avoided parliamentary
discussions even in his own country...."]

[Footnote 204: This strange prayer ran thus:--"O Lord Almighty, give us
strength to destroy the last man of that perfidious nation (the French),
which has sworn to devour alive thy faithful servants (the English)."]

[Footnote 205: Stanzas of second canto of "Childe Harold."]

[Footnote 206: Moore, Letter 162.]

[Footnote 207: The system of depreciating Byron's acts never once
ceased. It followed him to Greece and even to the tomb. Count Gamba, his
friend and companion, in speaking of the excellent health enjoyed by all
during the passage from Genoa to Greece, says:--

"We were in excellent health and spirits during our whole voyage from
Italy to Greece, and for this we were partly indebted to our medical
man, and partly to that temperance which was observed by every one on
board, except at the beginning of the voyage by the captain of our
vessel, who, however, ended by adopting our mode of life. I mention this
to contradict an idle story told in a magazine ('The London') 'that Lord
Byron on this voyage passed th