WM. DURRANT COOPER.

81. Guildford Street, March 25. 1850.

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BYRON'S LARA.

I cannot agree with your able corespondent "C.B." (No. 20. p. 324., and
No. 17. p. 262.), that Ezzelin in "Lara" is Seyd of the "Corsair." My
interpretation of both tales is as follows:--Lara and Ezzelin both lived
in youth where they afterwards met, viz. in a midland county of
England--time about the fourteenth century. Ezzelin was a kinsman, or,
more probably, a lover of Medora, whom Lara induced to fly with him, and
who shared his corsair life. When Lara had returned home, the midnight
scene in the gallery arose from some Frankenstein creation of his own
bad conscience; a "horrible shadow," an "unreal mockery." Kaled was
Gulnare disguised as a page; and when Lara met Ezzelin at Otho's house,
Ezzelin's indignation arose from his recollection of Medora's abduction.
Otho favours Ezzelin in this quarrel; and, when Kaled looks down upon
the "sudden strife," and becomes deeply moved, her agitation was from
seeing in Ezzelin the champion of Medora, her own rival in the
affections of Lara. Ezzelin is murdered, probably by the contrivance of
Kaled, who had before shown that she could lend a hand in such an
affair. After this, Lara collects a band, like what David gathered to
himself in the cave of Adullam, and what follows suits the mediæval
period of English history.

I will briefly quote in support of this view. Otho shows that Lara and