by Thomas Moore
And thus, with deep affliction, Paul composed his reply to the Epistle.
[Footnote 1: Some MSS. have the title thus: Epistle of Stephen the Elder to Paul the Apostle, from the Corinthians.]
[Footnote 2: In the MSS. the marginal verses published by the Whistons are wanting.]
[Footnote 3: In some MSS. we find, The elders Numenus, Eubulus, Theophilus, and Nomeson, to Paul their brother, health!]
[Footnote 4: Others read, There came certain men, ... and Clobeus, who vehemently shake.]
[Footnote 5: Some MSS. have, We believe in the Lord, that his presence was made manifest; and by this hath the Lord delivered as from the hands of the unrighteous.]
[Footnote 6: Others read, To read the Prophets.]
[Footnote 7: Some MSS. have, Therefore, brother, do thou make haste.]
[Footnote 8: Others read, Fare thee well in the Lord.]
[Footnote 9: Some MSS. have, The deacons Therepus and Techus]
[Footnote 10: The Whistons have, To the city of Phoenicia; but in all the MSS. we find, To the city of the Philippians.]
[Footnote 11: Others read, On account of Onotice.]
[Footnote 12: The Whistons have, Of Apollophanus: but in all the MSS. we read, Apofolanus.]
[Footnote 13: In the text of this Epistle there are some other variations in the words, but the sense is the same.]
EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS,
1 Paul, in bonds for Jesus Christ, disturbed by so many errors , to his Corinthian brethren, health.
2 I nothing marvel that the preachers of evil have made this progress.
3 For because the Lord Jesus is about to fulfil his coming, verily on this account do certain men pervert and despise his words.
4 But I, verily, from the beginning, have taught you that only which I myself received from the former apostles, who always remained with the Lord Jesus Christ.
5 And I now say unto you, that the Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, who was of the seed of David,
6 According to the annunciation of the Holy Ghost, sent to her by our Father from heaven;
7 That Jesus might be introduced into the world , and deliver our flesh by his flesh, and that he might raise us up from the dead;
8 As in this also he himself became the example:
9 That it might be made manifest that man was created by the Father,
10 He has not remained in perdition unsought ;
11 But he is sought for, that he might be revived by adoption.
12 For God, who is the Lord of all, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who made heaven and earth, sent, firstly, the Prophets to the Jews:
13 That he would absolve them from their sins, and bring them to his judgment.
14 Because he wished to save, firstly, the house of Israel, he bestowed and poured forth his Spirit upon the Prophets;
15 That they should, for a long time, preach the worship of God, and the nativity of Christ.
16 But he who was the prince of evil, when he wished to make himself God, laid his hand upon them,
17 And bound all men in sin,
18 Because the judgment of the world was approaching.
19 But Almighty God, when he willed to justify, was unwilling to abandon his creature;
20 But when he saw his affliction, he had compassion upon him:
21 And at the end of a time he sent the Holy Ghost into the Virgin foretold by the Prophets.
22 Who, believing readily , was made worthy to conceive, and bring forth our Lord Jesus Christ.
23 That from this perishable body, in which the evil spirit was glorified, he should be cast out, and it should be made manifest
24 That he was not God: For Jesus Christ, in his flesh, had recalled and saved this perishable flesh, and drawn it into eternal life by faith.
25 Because in his body he would prepare a pure temple of justice for all ages;
26 In whom we also, when we believe, are saved.
27 Therefore know ye that these men are not the children of justice, but the children of wrath;
28 Who turn away from themselves the compassion of God;
29 Who say that neither the heavens nor the earth were altogether works made by the hand of the Father of all things.
30 But these cursed men have the doctrine of the serpent.
31 But do ye, by the power of God, withdraw yourselves far from these, and expel from amongst you the doctrine of the wicked.
32 Because you are not the children of rebellion ; but the sons of the beloved church.
33 And on this account the time of the resurrection is preached to all men.
34 Therefore they who affirm that there is no resurrection of the flesh, they indeed shall not be raised up to eternal life;
35 But to judgment and condemnation shall the unbeliever arise in the flesh:
36 For to that body which denies the resurrection of the body, shall be denied the resurrection: because such are found to refuse the resurrection.
37 But you also, Corinthians! have known, from the seeds of wheat, and from other seeds,
38 That one grain falls dry into the earth, and within it first dies,
39 And afterwards rises again, by the will of the Lord, endued with the same body:
40 Neither indeed does it arise with the same simple body, but manifold, and filled with blessing.
41 But we produce the example not only from seeds, but from the honourable bodies of men.
42 Ye have also known Jonas, the son of Amittai.
43 Because he delayed to preach to the Ninevites, he was swallowed up in the belly of a fish for three days and three nights:
44 And after three days God heard his supplication, and brought him out of the deep abyss;
45 Neither was any part of his body corrupted; neither was his eyebrow bent down.
46 And how much more for you, oh men of little faith;
47 If you believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, will he raise you up, even as he himself hath arisen.
48 If the bones of Elisha the prophet, falling upon the dead, revived the dead,
49 By how much more shall ye, who are supported by the flesh and the blood and the Spirit of Christ, arise again on that day with a perfect body?
50 Elias the prophet, embracing the widow’s son, raised him from the dead:
51 By how much more shall Jesus Christ revive you, on that day, with a perfect body, even as he himself hath arisen?
52 But if ye receive other things vainly ,
53 Henceforth no one shall cause me to travail; for I bear on my body these fetters ,
54 To obtain Christ; and I suffer with patience these afflictions to become worthy of the resurrection of the dead.
55 And do each of you, having received the law from the hands of the blessed Prophets and the holy gospel , firmly maintain it;
56 To the end that you may be rewarded in the resurrection of the dead, and the possession of the life eternal.
57 But if any of ye, not believing, shall trespass, he shall be judged with the misdoers, and punished with those who have false belief.
58 Because such are the generation of vipers, and the children of dragons and basilisks.
59 Drive far from amongst ye, and fly from such, with the aid of our Lord Jesus Christ.
60 And the peace and grace of the beloved Son be upon you. Amen.
Done into English by me, January-February, 1817, at the Convent of San Lazaro, with the aid and exposition of the Armenian text by the Father Paschal Aucher, Armenian Friar.
BYRON.
Venice, April 10, 1817.
I had also the Latin text, but it is in many places very corrupt, and with great omissions.
[Footnote 1: Some MSS. have, Paul’s Epistle from prison, for the instruction of the Corinthians.]
[Footnote 2: Others read, Disturbed by various compunctions.]
[Footnote 3: Some MSS. have. That Jesus might comfort the world.]
[Footnote 4: Others read, He has not r
emained indifferent.]
[Footnote 5: Some MSS have, Laid his hand, and then and all body bound in sin.]
[Footnote 6: Others read, Believing with a pure heart.]
[Footnote 7: Some MSS. have, Of God the Father of all things.]
[Footnote 8: Others read, They curse themselves in this thing.]
[Footnote 9: Others read, Children of the disobedient.]
[Footnote 10: Some MSS. have, That one grain falls not dry into the earth.]
[Footnote 11: Others read, But we have not only produced from seeds, but from the honourable body of man.]
[Footnote 12: Others read, The son of Ematthius.]
[Footnote 13: Others add, Nor did a hair of his body fall therefrom.]
[Footnote 14: Some MSS. have, Ye shall not receive other things in vain.]
[Footnote 15: Others finished here thus, Henceforth no one can trouble me further, for I bear in my body the sufferings of Christ. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, my brethren. Amen.]
[Footnote 16: Some MSS. have, Of the holy evangelist.]
[Footnote 17: Others add, Our Lord be with ye all. Amen.]
REMARKS ON MR. MOORE’S LIFE OF LORD BYRON, BY LADY BYRON.
“I have disregarded various publications in which facts within my own knowledge have been grossly misrepresented; but I am called upon to notice some of the erroneous statements proceeding from one who claims to be considered as Lord Byron’s confidential and authorised friend. Domestic details ought not to be intruded on the public attention: if, however, they are so intruded, the persons affected by them have a right to refute injurious charges. Mr. Moore has promulgated his own impressions of private events in which I was most nearly concerned, as if he possessed a competent knowledge of the subject. Having survived Lord Byron, I feel increased reluctance to advert to any circumstances connected with the period of my marriage; nor is it now my intention to disclose them, further than may be indispensably requisite for the end I have in view. Self-vindication is not the motive which actuates me to make this appeal, and the spirit of accusation is unmingled with it; but when the conduct of my parents is brought forward in a disgraceful light, by the passages selected from Lord Byron’s letters, and by the remarks of his biographer, I feel bound to justify their characters from imputations which I know to be false. The passages from Lord Byron’s letters, to which I refer, are the aspersion on my mother’s character (vol. iii. p. . last line):— ‘My child is very well, and flourishing, I hear; but I must see also. I feel no disposition to resign it to the contagian of its grandmother’s society.’ The assertion of her dishonourable conduct in employing a spy (vol. iii. p. . l. 20, &c.), ‘A Mrs. C. (now a kind of housekeeper and spy of Lady N’s), who, in her better days, was a washerwoman, is supposed to be — by the learned — very much the occult cause of our domestic discrepancies.’ The seeming exculpation of myself, in the extract (vol. iii. p. .), with the words immediately following it,— ‘Her nearest relatives are a —— ;’ where the blank clearly implies something too offensive for publication. These passages tend to throw suspicion on my parents, and give reason to ascribe the separation either to their direct agency, or to that of ‘officious spies’ employed by them. From the following part of the narrative (vol. iii. p. .) it must also be inferred that an undue influence was exercised by them for the accomplishment of this purpose. ‘It was in a few weeks after the latter communication between us (Lord Byron and Mr. Moore), that Lady Byron adopted the determination of parting from him. She had left London at the latter end of January, on a visit to her father’s house, in Leicestershire, and Lord Byron was in a short time to follow her. They had parted in the utmost kindness, — she wrote him a letter full of playfulness and affection, on the road; and immediately on her arrival at Kirkby Mallory, her father wrote to acquaint Lord Byron that she would return to him no more.’ In my observations upon this statement, I shall, as far as possible, avoid touching on any matters relating personally to Lord Byron and myself. The facts are: — I left London for Kirkby Mallory, the residence of my father and mother, on the 15th of January, 1816. Lord Byron had signified to me in writing (Jan. 6th) his absolute desire that I should leave London on the earliest day that I could conveniently fix. It was not safe for me to undertake the fatigue of a journey sooner than the 15th. Previously to my departure, it had been strongly impressed on my mind, that Lord Byron was under the influence of insanity. This opinion was derived in a great measure from the communications made to me by his nearest relatives and personal attendant, who had more opportunities than myself of observing him during the latter part of my stay in town. It was even represented to me that he was in danger of destroying himself. With the concurrence of his family, I had consulted Dr. Baillie, as a friend (Jan. 8th), respecting this supposed malady. On acquainting him with the state of the case, and with Lord Byron’s desire that I should leave London, Dr. Baillie thought that my absence might be advisable as an experiment, assuming the fact of mental derangement; for Dr. Baillie, not having had access to Lord Byron, could not pronounce a positive opinion on that point. He enjoined, that in correspondence with Lord Byron, I should avoid all but light and soothing topics. Under these impressions, I left London, determined to follow the advice given by Dr. Baillie. Whatever might have been the nature of Lord Byron’s conduct towards me from the time of my marriage, yet, supposing him to be in a state of mental alienation, it was not for me, nor for any person of common humanity, to manifest, at that moment, a sense of injury. On the day of my departure, and again on my arrival at Kirkby, Jan. 16th, I wrote to Lord Byron in a kind and cheerful tone, according to those medical directions. The last letter was circulated, and employed as a pretext for the charge of my having been subsequently influenced to ‘desert’ my husband. It has been argued, that I parted from Lord Byron in perfect harmony; that feelings, incompatible with any deep sense of injury, had dictated the letter which I addressed to him; and that my sentiments must have been changed by persuasion and interference, when I was under the roof of my parents. These assertions and inferences are wholly destitute of foundation. When I arrived at Kirkby Mallory, my parents were unacquainted with the existence of any causes likely to destroy my prospects of happiness; and when I communicated to them the opinion which had been formed concerning Lord Byron’s state of mind, they were most anxious to promote his restoration by every means in their power. They assured those relations who were with him in London, that ‘they would devote their whole care and attention to the alleviation of his malady,’ and hoped to make the best arrangements for his comfort, if he could be induced to visit them. With these intentions, my mother wrote on the 17th to Lord Byron, inviting him to Kirkby Mallory. She had always treated him with an affectionate consideration and indulgence, which extended to every little peculiarity of his feelings. Never did an irritating word escape her lips in her whole intercourse with him. The accounts given me after I left Lord Byron by the persons in constant intercourse with him, added to those doubts which had before transiently occurred to my mind, as to the reality of the alleged disease, and the reports of his medical attendant, were far from establishing the existence of any thing like lunacy. Under this uncertainty, I deemed it right to communicate to my parents, that if I were to consider Lord Byron’s past conduct as that of a person of sound mind, nothing could induce me to return to him. It therefore appeared expedient, both to them and myself, to consult the ablest advisers. For that object, and also to obtain still further information respecting the appearances which seemed to indicate mental derangement, my mother determined to go to London. She was empowered by me to take legal opinions on a written statement of mine, though I had then reasons for reserving a part of the case from the knowledge even of my father and mother. Being convinced by the result of these enquiries, and by the tenor of Lord Byron’s proceedings, that the notion of insanity was an illusion, I no longer hesitated to authorise such measures as were necessary, in order to secure me from being ever again placed in his
power. Conformably with this resolution, my father wrote to him on the 2d of February, to propose an amicable separation. Lord Byron at first rejected this proposal; but when it was distinctly notified to him, that if he persisted in his refusal, recourse must be had to legal measures, he agreed to sign a deed of separation. Upon applying to Dr. Lushington, who was intimately acquainted with all the circumstances, to state in writing what he recollected upon this subject, I received from him the following letter, by which it will be manifest that my mother cannot have been actuated by any hostile or ungenerous motives towards Lord Byron.
[Footnote 1: “The officious spies of his privacy,” vol. iii. p. .]
[Footnote 2: “The deserted husband,” vol. iii. p. .]
“‘My dear Lady Byron,
“‘I can rely upon the accuracy of my memory for the following statement. I was originally consulted by Lady Noel on your behalf, whilst you were in the country; the circumstances detailed by her were such as justified a separation, but they were not of that aggravated description as to render such a measure indispensable. On Lady Noel’s representation, I deemed a reconciliation with Lord Byron practicable, and felt most sincerely a wish to aid in effecting it. There was not on Lady Noel’s part any exaggeration of the facts; nor, so far as I could perceive, any determination to prevent a return to Lord Byron: certainly none was expressed when I spoke of a reconciliation. When you came to town in about a fortnight, or perhaps more, after my first interview with Lady Noel, I was, for the first time, informed by you of facts utterly unknown, as I have no doubt, to Sir Ralph and Lady Noel. On receiving this additional information, my opinion was entirely changed: I considered a reconciliation impossible. I declared my opinion, and added, that if such an idea should be entertained, I could not, either professionally or otherwise, take any part towards effecting it. Believe me, very faithfully yours, STEPH. LUSHINGTON.