DEATH OF LORD BYRON' PHYSICIAN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 78, 3 May 1879, Page 2

DEATH OF LORD BYRON' PHYSICIAN.

Next to tho death of an eminent personage who has played a lending part upon the stage of life, the event which in most apt to awaken a host of reminiscences and stir our interest iu tho vexed personal and public controversies of a bygone age, is the departure of some one closely linked by intimate association to the great names that have passed into history. Few among those who 'once knew Lord Bryon in the flesh are left alive after the lapse of fifty six years that have Intervened sinco his premature death at Missilonghi. Another of the small land of survivors (Dr. Millingen) died at Pera, the European suburb of Constantinople, recently, at the age of seventy-eight. He it was who attended Lord Bryon in his last ilnew, in consequence of the fatal termination of which he was accused of having displayed a lack of judgment and adopted a treatment which hastened the poet's end. It was understood that Dr. Millingon had prepared for publication an exhaustive account of bis intercourse witli Lord Bryon, whioh might have rindicated himself from the charge of unskilf illness, as well as thrown a light upon many points connected with the poet* career, but unfortunately all his papers were destroyed by flro in 1870. Dr. Millingen was the oldest British inhabititit of any prominonoe in Pera, and being

vcVy c~,,iiiiiuiiu»»iivc «»d '«" °' oyronic reminiscences, was visited by roost English tourists who passed through Constantinople. He seems to have been strongly impressed with Byron's practical talent for affairs and his el«se atten-i tion to matters of economical detail. It is contrary to the usual conception of the poet's character, but notwithstanding his recklessness and lavish expenditure ou occasions, Byron wasjiabitually frugal to the verge of parsimony in houachoM mutters. He had a dear ides of the Value of money—or credit, whieh fo» the time amounts to the same thing—as the sinews of war and never ceased to impress on the Greek leaders the necessity of making l?y their unity and moderation n favourable impression in England, with the object* of securing a loan. He even contemplated a vi«t to America for the «nne. purpose. Dr. Millingen lived to witness the realisation of Byron's dream of Hellenic independence, and to note changes in Turkey that no oho would have then considered within the range of jMjssibility. He Jived through the reign of six Sultans. The only remaining survivor of note of those who were personally acquainted with Lord Bryon is Mr. Trelawny.—Boston Traveller.