Inthesecasesthepunishmentwasexcessive;buttheoffencewasknownandproved。ThecaseofLordByronwasharder。TrueJedwoodjusticewasdealtouttohim。Firstcametheexecution，thentheinvestigation，andlastofall，orrathernotatall，theaccusation。Thepublic，withoutknowinganythingwhateveraboutthetransactionsinhisfamily，flewintoaviolentpassionwithhim，andproceededtoinventstorieswhichmightjustifyitsanger。Tenortwentydifferentaccountsoftheseparation，inconsistentwitheachother，withthemselves，andwithcommonsense，circulatedatthesametime。Whatevidencetheremightbeforanyoneofthese，thevirtuouspeoplewhorepeatedthemneitherknewnorcared。Forinfactthesestorieswerenotthecauses，buttheeffectsofthepublicindignation。TheyresembledthoseloathsomeslanderswhichLewisGoldsmith，andotherabjectlibellersofthesameclass，wereinthehabitofpublishingaboutBonaparte;suchasthathepoisonedagirlwitharsenicwhenhewasatthemilitaryschool，thathehiredagrenadiertoshootDessaixatMarengo，thathefilledSt。CloudwithallthepollutionsofCapreae。Therewasatimewhenanecdotesliketheseobtainedsomecredencefrompersonswho，hatingtheFrenchemperorwithoutknowingwhy，wereeagertobelieveanythingwhichmightjustifytheirhatred。LordByronfaredinthesameway。Hiscountrymenwereinabadhumourwithhim。Hiswritingsandhischaracterhadlostthecharmofnovelty。Hehadbeenguiltyoftheoffencewhich，ofalloffences，ispunishedmostseverely;hehadbeenover—praised;hehadexcitedtoowarmaninterest;andthepublic，withitsusualjustice，chastisedhimforitsownfolly。TheattachmentsofthemultitudebearnosmallresemblancetothoseofthewantonenchantressintheArabianTales，who，whenthefortydaysofherfondnesswereover，wasnotcontentwithdismissingherlovers，butcondemnedthemtoexpiate，inloathsomeshapes，andundercruelpenances，thecrimeofhavingoncepleasedhertoowell。
TheobloquywhichByronhadtoendurewassuchasmightwellhaveshakenamoreconstantmind。Thenewspaperswerefilledwithlampoons。Thetheatresshookwithexecrations。Hewasexcludedfromcircleswherehehadlatelybeentheobservedofallobservers。Allthosecreepingthingsthatriotinthedecayofnoblernatureshastenedtotheirrepast;andtheywereright;
theydidaftertheirkind。Itisnoteverydaythatthesavageenvyofaspiringduncesisgratifiedbytheagoniesofsuchaspirit，andthedegradationofsuchaname。
Theunhappymanlefthiscountryforever。Thehowlofcontumelyfollowedhimacrossthesea，uptheRhine，overtheAlps;itgraduallywaxedfainter;itdiedaway;thosewhohadraiseditbegantoaskeachother，what，afterall，wasthematteraboutwhichtheyhadbeensoclamorous，andwishedtoinvitebackthecriminalwhomtheyhadjustchasedfromthem。Hispoetrybecamemorepopularthanithadeverbeen;andhiscomplaintswerereadwithtearsbythousandsandtensofthousandswhohadneverseenhisface。
HehadfixedhishomeontheshoresoftheAdriatic，inthemostpicturesqueandinterestingofcities，beneaththebrightestofskies，andbythebrightestofseas。Censoriousnesswasnottheviceoftheneighbourswhomhehadchosen。Theywerearacecorruptedbyabadgovernmentandabadreligion，longrenownedforskillintheartsofvoluptuousness，andtolerantofallthecapricesofsensuality。Fromthepublicopinionofthecountryofhisadoption，hehadnothingtodread。Withthepublicopinionofthecountryofhisbirth，hewasatopenwar。Heplungedintowildanddesperateexcesses，ennobledbynogenerousortendersentiment。FromhisVenetianharam，hesentforthvolumeaftervolume，fullofeloquence，ofwit，ofpathos，ofribaldry，andofbitterdisdain。Hishealthsankundertheeffectsofhisintemperance。Hishairturnedgrey。Hisfoodceasedtonourishhim。Ahecticfeverwitheredhimup。Itseemedthathisbodyandmindwereabouttoperishtogether。