George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (1788–1824,) known as Lord Byron, was an English poet. He not only was English literature’s first celebrity superstar but also gained notoriety for his many love affairs.
Byron was born in London. His clubfoot had a significant effect on his future disposition. He spent his early years in Aberdeen and was educated at Cambridge. He took an expedition to Portugal, Spain, Albania, Greece, and Constantinople. The striking scenery and the exotic cultures that he experienced on this tour formed the basis for the first two cantos of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage (1809,) which made him famous overnight. Facing mounting pressure because of his failed marriage, infamous (and incestuous) relationships, and huge debts, Byron left England in 1816 and never returned.
In 1819, while staying in Venice, Byron wrote some of his most celebrated works, including Don Juan (1819–24.) In 1823, he left Italy to join the Greek revolutionaries in their fight for independence against the Ottoman Empire. He caught marsh fever and died at Missolonghi in 1824.
Byron’s poetry was prevalent despite being widely criticized for moral reasons. Much of his poetry and drama exerted considerable influence on the Romantic Movement. His legacy of inspiration in European poetry, music, the novel, opera, and painting, has been colossal.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Thou glorious mirror, where the Almighty’s form glasses itself in tempests: in all time, calm or convulsed—in breeze, or gale, or storm, icing the pole, or in the torrid clime dark-heaving;—boundless, endless, and sublime—the image of eternity—the throne of the invisible; even from out thy slime the monsters of the deep are made; each zone obeys thee; thou goest forth, dread, fathomless, alone.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Speech is the mirror of action.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Speech, Conversation
Men are the sport of circumstances, when the circumstances seem the sport of men.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Men, Circumstance, Chance
Alas! the love of women! it is known to be a lovely and a fearful thing; for all of theirs upon that die is thrown; and if ’tis lost, life has no more to bring to them but mockeries of the past alone.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Love
No ear can hear nor tongue can tell the tortures of the inward hell!
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Conscience
I have great hopes that we shall love each other all our lives as much as if we had never married at all.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Society, Marriage
The Cardinal is at his wit’s end—it is true that he had not far to go.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Stupidity
However boldly their warm blood was spilt,
Their life was shame, their epitaph was guilt;
And this they knew and felt, at least the one,
The leader of the hand he had undone,—
Who, born for better things, had madly set
His life upon a cast, which linger’d yet.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Guilt
Lovers’ vows seem sweet in every whispered word.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
I am always most religious upon a sunshiny day…
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Religion
It is by far the most elegant worship, hardly excepting the Greek mythology. What with incense, pictures, statues, altars, shrines, relics, and the real presence, confession, absolution,—there is something sensible to grasp at. Besides, it leaves no possibility of doubt; for those who swallow their Deity, really and truly, in transubstantiation, can hardly find any thing else otherwise than easy of digestion.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Religion
Sorrows are our best educators. A man can see further through a tear than a telescope.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Sorrow
In solitude, where we are least alone.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Solitude, One liners
Adversity is the first path to truth: He who hath proved war, storm or woman’s rage, whether his winters be eighteen or eighty, has won the experience which is deem’d so weighty.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Adversity, Difficulties
Our thoughts take the wildest flight: Even at the moment when they should arrange themselves in thoughtful order.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Concentration, Focus, Vision
‘Tis pleasant, sure, to see one’s name in print; A book’s a book, although there’s nothing in it.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Reading, Books
Smiles form the channel of a future tear.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Smile
I have met with most poetry on trunks; so that I am apt to consider the trunk-maker as the sexton of authorship.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Poetry
Tempted fate will leave the loftiest star.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Fate
There’s nothing in the world like etiquette In kingly chambers, or imperial halls, As also at the race and county balls.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
It has been said that the immortality of the soul is a grand peut-tre—but still it is a grand one. Everybody clings to it—the stupidest, and dullest, and wickedest of human bipeds is still persuaded that he is immortal.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Immortality
I am as comfortless as a pilgrim with peas in his shoes—and as cold as Charity, Chastity or any other Virtue.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Misery, Money
We have progressively improved into a less spiritual species of tenderness—but the seal is not yet fixed though the wax is preparing for the impression.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Men & Women
It was one of the deadliest and heaviest feelings of my life to feel that I was no longer a boy. From that moment I began to grow old in my own esteem—and in my esteem age is not estimable.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Age
On with the dance! Let joy be unconfined; no sleep till morn, when Youth and Pleasure meet to chase the glowing hours with flying feet.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Parties, Dance, Party
When age chills the blood, when our pleasures are past—
For years fleet away with the wings of the dove—
The dearest remembrance will still be the last,
Our sweetest memorial the first kiss of love.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Remembrance
Thy decay’s still impregnate with divinity.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Age
If from society we learn to live, it is solitude should teach us how to die.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Solitude
The dew of compassion is a tear.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Compassion, Kindness
The best of prophets of the future is the past.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron)
Topics: Future, Regret
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