CHAPTER XXVI. LEGHORN AND PISA, MAY-OCTOBER, 1822. ALLEGRA'S BURIAL-PLACE THE DEFORMED TRANS FORMED-ARRIVAL OF LEIGH HUNT-DON JUAN, 1006.-To John Murray. Montenero, May 26th 1822, near Leghorn. DEAR SIR,-The body is embarked, in what ship I know not, neither could I enter into the details; but the Countess G. G. has had the goodness to give the necessary orders to Mr. Dunn, who superintends the embarkation, and will write to you. I wish it to be buried in Harrow Church: there is a spot in the Churchyard, near the footpath, on the brow of the hill looking towards Windsor, and a tomb under a large tree (bearing the name of Peachie, or Peachey), where I used to sit for hours and hours when a boy: this was my favourite spot; but, as I wish to erect a tablet to her memory, 2 1. Henry Dunn (1776-1867) came from Malta in 1814, and set up a British shop at Leghorn, in what is now the Via Vittorio Emanuele. [Tradition says that Byron was in the back parlour of this shop when the news reached him of the recovery of Shelley's body.-R. Edgcumbe.] 2. See "Lines Written beneath an Elm in the Churchyard of "Harrow," Poems, vol. i. p. 208 the body had better be deposited in the Church. Near the door, on the left hand as you enter,1 there is a monument with a tablet containing these words : "When Sorrow weeps o'er Virtue's sacred dust, I recollect them (after seventeen years), not from any thing remarkable in them, but because from my seat in the Gallery I had generally my eyes turned towards that monument: as near it as convenient I could wish Allegra to be buried, and on the wall a marble tablet placed, with these words: 2 In memory of daughter of G. G. Lord Byron, in Italy, April 20th, 1822, aged five years and three months. "I shall go to her, but she shall not return to me." "Spot of my youth! whose hoary branches sigh, "Oft have I thought 'twould soothe my dying hour- Would hide my bosom where is lov'd to dwell," etc. 66 Byron's tomb " is a slab of blue limestone, under the shadow of "Byron's elm," on the south-west of the church. The tomb, now enclosed by railings, is split; part is missing, and the inscription defaced. But Lysons (Environs of London, ed. 1795, vol. ii. P. 574) mentions among the monuments in the churchyard that of "John Peachey, Esq., of the island of St. Christopher's (1780)." 1. The tablet, which, on entering the church, is on the righthand of the south door, is "Sacred to the memory of Thomas "Ryves, F.R.S., A.S., who died July 23, 1788, aged 68." 2. Byron's wishes were not carried out. Two letters from the The funeral I wish to be as private as is consistent with decency; and I could hope that Henry Drury will, Vicar of Harrow, the Rev. J. W. Cunningham, to John Murray (Memoir of John Murray, vol. i. pp. 430, 431), explain the difficulty in erecting a monument to the memory of Allegra : (1) "SIR,-Mr. Henry Drury was so good as to communicate to me "a request conveyed to you by Lord Byron respecting the burial of "a child in this church. Mr. H. Drury will probably have also "stated to you my willingness to comply with the wish of Lord "Byron. Will you forgive me, however, for so far trespassing upon you (though a stranger) as to suggest an inquiry whether it "might not be practicable and desirable to fulfil for the present only a part of his lordship's wish-by burying the child, and putting up 66 a tablet with simply its name upon the tablet; and thus leaving "Lord B. more leisure to reflect upon the character of the inscrip"tion he may wish to be added. It does seem to me that whatever "he may wish in the moment of his distress about the loss of this "child, he will afterwards regret that he should have taken pains to "proclaim to the world what he will not, I am sure, consider as "honourable to his name. And if this be probable, then it appears "to me the office of a true friend not to suffer him to commit him"self, but to allow his mind an opportunity of calm deliberation. I "feel constrained to say that the inscription he proposed will be felt "by every man of refined taste, to say nothing of sound morals, to "be an offence against taste and propriety. My correspondence "with his Lordship has been so small that I can scarcely venture "myself to urge these objections. You perhaps will feel no such "scruple. I have seen no person who did not concur in the pro"priety of stating them. I would entreat, however, that should "you think it right to introduce my name into any statement made "to Lord Byron, you will not do it without assuring him of my "unwillingness to oppose the smallest obstacle to his wishes, or "give the slightest pain to his mind. The injury which, in my "judgment, he is from day to day inflicting upon society is no justi "fication for measures of retaliation and unkindness. "Your obedient and faithful servant, (2) "The Churchwardens have been urged to issue their prohibition "by several leading and influential persons, laymen, in the parish. "You are aware that as to ex-parishioners the consent of the "churchwardens is no less necessary than my own; and that there"fore the enclosed prohibition is decisive as to the putting up of "the monument. You will oblige me by making known to Lord "Byron the precise circumstances of the case. "I am, your obedient servant, "J. W. CUNNINGHAM." the body had better be deposited in the Church. Near the door, on the left hand as you enter,1 there is a monument with a tablet containing these words: "When Sorrow weeps o'er Virtue's sacred dust, I recollect them (after seventeen years), not from any thing remarkable in them, but because from my seat in the Gallery I had generally my eyes turned towards that monument: as near it as convenient I could wish Allegra to be buried, and on the wall a marble tablet placed, with these words: 2 In memory of daughter of G. G. Lord Byron, aged five years and three months. "I shall go to her, but she shall not return to me." Spot of my youth! whose hoary branches sigh, "Oft have I thought 'twould soothe my dying hour- Would hide my bosom where i lov'd to dwell," etc. "Byron's tomb" is a slab of blue limestone, under the shadow of "Byron's elm," on the south-west of the church. The tomb, now enclosed by railings, is split; part is missing, and the inscription defaced. But Lysons (Environs of London, ed. 1795, vol. ii. P. 574) mentions among the monuments in the churchyard that of "John Peachey, Esq., of the island of St. Christopher's (1780)." 1. The tablet, which, on entering the church, is on the righthand of the south door, is "Sacred to the memory of Thomas "Ryves, F.R.S., A.S., who died July 23, 1788, aged 68." 2. Byron's wishes were not carried out. Two letters from the The funeral I wish to be as private as is consistent with decency; and I could hope that Henry Drury will, Vicar of Harrow, the Rev. J. W. Cunningham, to John Murray (Memoir of John Murray, vol. i. pp. 430, 431), explain the difficulty in erecting a monument to the memory of Allegra : 66 (1) "SIR,-Mr. Henry Drury was so good as to communicate to me a request conveyed to you by Lord Byron respecting the burial of "a child in this church. Mr. H. Drury will probably have also "stated to you my willingness to comply with the wish of Lord "Byron. Will you forgive me, however, for so far trespassing "upon you (though a stranger) as to suggest an inquiry whether it "might not be practicable and desirable to fulfil for the present only "a part of his lordship's wish-by burying the child, and putting up "a tablet with simply its name upon the tablet; and thus leaving "Lord B. more leisure to reflect upon the character of the inscrip"tion he may wish to be added. It does seem to me that whatever "he may wish in the moment of his distress about the loss of this "child, he will afterwards regret that he should have taken pains to "proclaim to the world what he will not, I am sure, consider as "honourable to his name. And if this be probable, then it appears "to me the office of a true friend not to suffer him to commit him"self, but to allow his mind an opportunity of calm deliberation. I "feel constrained to say that the inscription he proposed will be felt "by every man of refined taste, to say nothing of sound morals, to "be an offence against taste and propriety. My correspondence "with his Lordship has been so small that I can scarcely venture "myself to urge these objections. You perhaps will feel no such "scruple. I have seen no person who did not concur in the pro"priety of stating them. I would entreat, however, that should "you think it right to introduce my name into any statement made "to Lord Byron, you will not do it without assuring him of my "unwillingness to oppose the smallest obstacle to his wishes, or "give the slightest pain to his mind. The injury which, in my judgment, he is from day to day inflicting upon society is no justi. "fication for measures of retaliation and unkindness. 66 "Your obedient and faithful servant, (2) "The Churchwardens have been urged to issue their prohibition "by several leading and influential persons, laymen, in the parish. "You are aware that as to ex-parishioners the consent of the "churchwardens is no less necessary than my own; and that there"fore the enclosed prohibition is decisive as to the putting up of "the monument. You will oblige me by making known to Lord "Byron the precise circumstances of the case. "I am, your obedient servant, "J. W. CUNNINGHAM." |