Note 1. And such thy strength-inspiring aid that bore The hardy Byron to his native shore.

The following picture of his own distress, given by Byron in his simple and interesting Narrative, justifies the description in p. 10. After relating the barbarity of the Indian Cacique to his child, he proceeds thus:—"A day or two after, we put to sea again, and crossed the great bay I mentioned we had been at the bottom of, when we first hawled away to the westward. The land here was very low and sandy, and something like the mouth of a river which discharged itself into the sea, and which had [Page 72] been taken no notice of by us before, as it was so shallow that the Indians were obliged to take every thing out of their canoes and carry it over land. We rowed up the river four or five leagues, and then took into a branch of it that ran first to the eastward and then to the northward: here it became much narrower, and the stream excessively rapid, so that we gained but little way, though we wrought very hard. At night we landed upon its banks, and had a most uncomfortable lodging, it being a perfect swamp; and we had nothing to cover us, though it rained excessively. The Indians were little better off than we, as there was no wood here to make their wigwams; so that all they could do was to prop up the bark, which they carry in the bottom of their canoes, and shelter themselves as well as they could to the leeward of it. Knowing the difficulties they had to encounter here, they had provided themselves with some seal; but we had not a morsel to eat, after the heavy fatigues of the day, excepting a sort of root we saw the Indians make use of, which was very disagreeable to the taste. We laboured all next day against the stream, and fared as we had done the day before. The next day brought us to the carrying place. Here was plenty of wood, but nothing to be got [Page 73] for sustenance. We passed this night as we had frequently done under a tree; but what we suffered at this time is not easy to be expressed. I had been three days at the oar without any kind of nourishment except the wretched root above mentioned. I had no shirt, for it had rotted off by bits. All my clothes consisted, of a short grieko (something like a bear-skin), a piece of red cloth which had once been a waistcoat, and a ragged pair of trowsers, without shoes or stockings."

Note 2. A Briton and a friend.] Don Patricio Gedd, a Scotch physician in one of the Spanish settlements, hospitably relieved Byron and his wretched associates, of which the Commodore speaks in the warmest terms of gratitude.

Note 3. Or yield the Lyre of Heav'n another string.

The seven strings of Apollo's harp were the symbolical representations of the seven planets. Herschel, by discovering an eighth, might be said to add another string to the instrument.

[Page 74]Note 4. The Swedish sage.] Linnaeus.

Note 5.—Deep from his vaults the Loxian murmurs flow.

Loxius is a name frequently given to Apollo by Greek writers: it is met with more than once in the Chaoephorae of Aeschylus.

Note 6.—Unlocks a generous store at thy command.

Like Horeb's rocks beneath the prophet's hand.

See Exodus, chap. xvii. 3, 5, 6.

Note 7. Wild Obi flies.] Among the negroes of the West Indies, Obi, or Obiah, is the name of a magical power, which is believed by them to affect the object of its malignity with dismal calamities Such a belief must undoubtedly have been deduced from the superstitious mythology of their kinsmen on the coast of Africa. I have therefore personified Obi as the evil spirit of the African, although the history of the African tribes mentions the evil spirit of their religious creed by a different appellation.

[Page 75]Note 8. Sibir's dreary mines.] Mr. Bell of Antermony, in his travels through Siberia, informs us that the name of the country is universally pronounced Sibir by the Russians.

Note 9.—Presaging wrath to Poland—and to man!

"On the 10th of October 1794, a dreadful engagement took place between the Russians under General Fersen and the troops under Kosciusko. The Russians advanced twice to the attack, but were repulsed by the Poles, who however, unfortunately, not contented with the advantages they had gained, abandoned their favourable position on the heights, and pressed on to the attack in their turn. This movement threw the troops into some confusion; and the Russians, forming themselves anew, the route soon became general. The battle, which began at seven in the morning, did not end till noon. Kosciusko flew from rank to rank, and was continually in the hottest part of the engagement, in the course of which he had three horses killed under him. At length he fell; and a Cossack, who did not know him in the peasants dress, which he constantly wore, wounded him from behind with a lance. He recovered, and advanced a few steps, [Page 76] but was again knocked down by another Cossack, who was preparing to give him a mortal blow, when his arm was stopped by a Russian officer, who is said to have been General Chronzazow, to whose wife Kosciusko had a short time before politely given leave of departure from Warsaw to join her husband. The unfortunate Kosciusko implored the officer, if he wished to render him a service, to allow the soldier to put an end to his existence; but the latter chose rather to make him a prisoner. The Polish infantry defended themselves with bravery proportioned to that of their general, and fought with a degree of valour almost approaching to fury.

The Russians under General Fersen soon afterwards summoned Warsaw to surrender; and on being refused, after the junction of the different corps under Fersen, Dernfeld, Denisow, and Suwarrow, they proceeded, on the 4th of November, to attack the suburb of Prague. In the mean time the generals Madalinski and Dambrowski threw themselves into Warsaw, and prepared for resistance. The suburb of Prague, separated from Warsaw by the Vistula, was defended by more than a hundred pieces of cannon, disposed upon thirty-three batteries. Little intimidated, [Page 77] however, by so formidable a force, the ferocious Suwarrow commanded his soldiers to mount to the assault in the same manner they had done at Ismael, where the Russians entered by climbing over the dead and wounded bodies of their comrades, as well as of their enemies. His further orders were, that they should fight only with the sabre and bayonet. The Russians sprung to the charge with almost inconceivable impetuosity. They eagerly began to climb the works, and the six Russian columns, by singular good fortune, presented themselves at the same moment before the lines at Prague. Thus surrounded, the Polish generals found themselves unable to oppose, with 10,000 soldiers, which was the whole of their force, the united attack of 50,000 men; and, to add to their distress, the fire which they immediately commenced, from the darkness of the night, was so ill directed as to pass over the heads of the assailants. The cry raised by the successful columns penetrated to the entrenchments on the other side the Vistula, and added to the consternation of the Poles engaged with the other part of the Russian force; and they endeavoured to find safety by retiring into Warsaw, over a bridge. In their retreat they were met by another body of Russians, and a dreadful carnage ensued, in which a great part of the garrison of [Page 78] Prague was miserably slaughtered. After a severe conflict of eight hours, the resistance on the part of the Poles ceased; but the massacre by the detestable Suwarrow, who, from his habitual cruelty, was selected for this service, continued for two hours longer; and the pillage lasted till noon on the following day. Five thousand Poles were computed to have been slain in the assault; the remainder were either imprisoned or dispersed. The citizens were compelled to lay down their arms, and their houses were plundered by the merciless Russians, who, after the battle had ceased nearly ten hours, about nine o'clock at night set fire to the town, and again began to massacre the inhabitants; nine thousand persons, unarmed men, defenceles women, and harmless infants, perished either in the flames or by the sword, and nearly the whole of the suburb was reduced to ashes. In the whole of this siege it is computed that not less than 30,000 of the Poles were inhumanly put to death. In this exigence, Count Potocki, the chief of the insurrection, proposed to treat with the Russians, and repaired to their head quarters with propositions of peace [...] name of the republic. He was received with extreme haughtiness by the infamous Suwarrow, who observed that the Empress was not at war with the republic; that his only object in coming [Page 79] to Warsaw was to reduce the refractory subjects of Poland to obedience; and he intimated that he should not treat with any insurgent, but only with such as, invested with legitimate authority, should come to speak in the name, and on the part of his Polish majesty: Deputies were dispatched from the magistracy of Warsaw to the Russian commander, who returned, after having been constrained to surrender the city at discretion, under the single condition of securing to the citizens their lives and property. The general insolently observed, that there was another article which, without doubt, they had forgotten to ask, but which he would accede to them, which was pardon for the past.

In consequence of this arrangement, the firing which had been kept up in the suburb of Prague ceased, and all the inhabitants were requested to surrender their arms. This was refused by the soldiers in the city, and their chief Wawrzecki, with many others of the supreme council, refused to take part in the capitulation. This impeded the close of the negociation; but the military, who refused to lay down their arms, were allowed to leave Warsaw, not however without a declaration from Suwarrow that they might be sure of not escaping, and that, when taken, no quarter would be granted. On the morning of the 7th, the supreme council, [Page 80] with the generalissimo Wawrzecki, remitted into the hands of the king the authority they had exercised. On the 9th the Russian general made his triumphal entry into Warsaw, in which the streets were lined with his troops, and the inhabitants, shut up in their houses, observed a melancholy silence. The chief magistrate delivered him the keys at the bridge of Prague; after which he received the compliments of the king; and on the 10th, went with much pomp to the castle to pay his respects to his majesty. To complete the whole of this execrable scene, ostentatious and solemn blasphemy was called in; and the 1st of December was set apart for a day of solemn thanksgiving, and Te Deum was sung for the triumph of powerful oppression over persecuted virtue, to the God of all mercies, whose altars had been stained by the blood of the innocent and helpless; and ‘whose praises were chanted by the voice of murderers, amidst the shrieks and groans of the victims.’

Note 10. "The shrill horn blew."]—The negroes in the West Indies are summoned to their morning work by a [...]

[Page 81]Note 11 How long was Timur's iron sceptre swayed?—To elucidate this passage, I shall subjoin a quotation from the preface to Letters from a Hindoo Rajah, a work of elegance and celebrity.

"The impostor of Mecca had established, as one of the principles of his doctrine, the merit of extending it, either by persuasion, or the sword, to all parts of the earth. How steadily this injunction was adhered to by his followers, and with what success it was pursued, is well known to all who are in the least conversant in history.

"The same overwhelming torrent, which had inundated the greater part of Africa, burst its way into the very heart of Europe, and covered many kingdoms of Asia with unbounded desolation; directed its baleful course to the flourishing provinces of Hindostan. Here these fierce and hardy adventurers, whose only improvement had been in the science of destruction, who added the fury of fanaticism to the ravages of war, found the great end of their conquests opposed, by objects which neither the ardour of their persevering zeal, nor savage barbarity, could surmount. Multitudes were sacrificed by the cruel hand of religious persecution, and whole countries were deluged in blood, in the vain hope, that [Page 82] by the destruction of a part, the remainder might be persuaded, or terrified into the profession of Mahomedism: but all these sanguinary efforts were ineffectual; and at length being fully convinced, that though they might extirpate, they could never hope to convert any number of the Hindoos, they relinquished the impracticable idea, with which they had entered upon their career of conquest, and contented themselves with the acquirement of the civil dominion and almost universal empire of Hindostan."

Note 12. And braved the stormy spirit of the Cape.] See the description of the Cape of Good Hope, translated from Camoens, by Mickle.

Note 13. While famish'd nations died along the shore.

The following account of British conduct, and its consequences in Bengal, will afford a sufficient idea of the fact alluded to in this passage. After describing the monopoly of salt, betel nut, and tobacco, the historian proceeds thus: "Money in this current came but by drops; it could not quench the thirst of those who [Page 83] waited in India to receive it. An expedient, such as it was remained to quicken its pace. The natives could live with little salt, but could not want food. Some of the agents saw themselves well situated for collecting the rice into stores; they did so. They knew the Gentoos would rather die than violate the principles of their religion by eating flesh. The alternative would therefore be between giving what they had, or dying. The inhabitants sunk;— they that cultivated the land, and saw the harvest at the disposal of others, planted in doubt, scarcity ensued. Then the monopoly was easier managed—sickness ensued. In some districts the languid living left the bodies of their numerous dead unburied.

Note 14. Nine times hath Brama's wheel's of lightning hurl'd, His awful presence o'er the prostrate world!

Among the sublime fictions of the Hindoo mythology, it is one article of belief, that the Deity Brama has descended nine times upon the world in various forms, and that he is yet to appear a tenth time in the figure of a warrior upon a white horse to out [Page 84] off all incorrigible offenders. Avator is the word used to express his descent.

Note 15: And Camdeo bright, and Ganesa sublime.] Camdeo is the God of Love in the mythology of the Hindoos. Ganesa and Seraswatee correspond to the Pagan deities, Janus and Minerva.

Note 1. The noon of manhood to a myrtle shade!

Sacred to Venus is the myrtle shade. Dryden.

Note 2. Thy woes, Arion!] Falconer, in his poem, The Shipwreck, speaks of himself by the name of Arion. The passage at the conculsion of the last Canto, to which I have alluded, may be quoted.

Note 3. The Robber Moor

From Schiller's Tragedy of the Robbers I quote the following dialogue in one of the concluding scenes, to illustrate the lines that relate to Amelia's death.

Poor, impotent, and weak!

Look up, my bride! No priest shall bless our union—no hallowed prayer be said!—I know what's better.

Gaze on this beauteous sight! if ye [Page 88] be men! Felons! have ye hearts of stone?—Behold me here! I'm young—I've felt the power of love! I was belov'd! betroth'd! —I had reached the gate of paradise!

, and shall my brothers force me thence?

—It is enough!

Thus far has Nature spoke!—Now the Man's part begins!—I am a murderer, like you!—a robber, and incendiary!—I am—

—your Captain! and will ye thus, ye felons! sword in hand, thus treat, thus parley with your Captain? Down with your arms! it is your master who commands!

There! what are you now but chil­dren, and I—am free!—Moor must be free, in order to be great! Now, I would not exchange this triumph for an elysium of love!

Poor wretches! your mean souls reach not this height.—What e'er is great seems frenzy in your eyes.—The spirit of despair outstrips your snail-paced wisdom. On deeds like these we pause not till they are done!—I'll think on this— hereafter!

Bravo! most worthy Captain! Thy ho­nour is discharg'd!—Thou Prince of Robbers!

Now she is mine! She's mine!—Or that hereafter is but the dream of fools!—I have foil'd my destiny!—In spite of fate, I have brought home my bride:—And with this sword have sealed our wedding vows —Thousands of years shall pass, and seasons roll, e'er the bright sun shall witness such a deed.—

Was it not sweet, my Emily, to die thus by thy bridegroom's hand?

Oh most sweet!

Note 4. What millions died that Caesar might be great.

The carnage occasioned by the wars of Julius Caesar have been usually estimated as two millions of men.

Note 5. Or learn the fate that bleeding thousands bore March'd by their Charles to Dneiper's swampy shore.

In this extremity (says the Biographer of Charles XII. of Swe­den, speaking of his military exploits before the battle of Pulto­wa), the memorable winter of 1709, which was still more remark­able [Page] in that part of Europe than in France, destroyed numbers of his troops: for Charles resolved to brave the seasons [...] he had done his enemies, and ventured to make long marches during this mortal cold. It was in one of these marches that two thousand men fell down dead with cold before his [...].

Note 6. And part like Ajut, never to return!] See the histo­ry of Ajut and Anningait in the Rambler.