New-York daily tribune., 1845-04-29
The LAST LOOK OF BYRON.
crfo- series interesting -ee-ce:ions IN the Bosor
Afias1

CF.o: -ec-cc;ions n the Boston
Atas.)
In the month OF July, 1924 the body OF Lord Byron
was broueh, from Mlssoiongh 10 England, and, on
being landed from the ''Flonda, was removed to
the house OF Sir Edward KaafcabulI, VINO then rc-
sided IN Great Ceorze-sireet, Westminster. Al the
house OF Sir Edward II lay IN state Tor tTo days,
and was visited by hundreds OF persons, who paic
their last inbu;e 10 the genius OF the mighty SUM
berer by gazing on his cotiln-lid- After the lying
in state mad terminated, II was found necessary 10
remove the BODY for The purpose OF placing II IN .
better constructed leaden coffin than that ,whlch
mad been prepared 10 Greece. 4 friend OF mine
happened 10 know the undertaken. and kindly OF
irred to procure me admission 10 the chamber
where the removal OF the body was 10 be Effected
an offer which. need not sav. ! gladly accepted
Accordingly. on the afternoon OF the eleventh OF
July. proceeded to Sir Edward knatchbTiiIs, and
found three CT lour gentlemen, attracted ihlther,
like myself, to witness the solemn face OF the poet
for the last time, IL should be shut NJ IN the
darkness Of d~ath llr Rogers, the author OF the
pleasures OF Memory, Mr.. now Sir John Cam
Hobhouse, and John Hanson, Esq (lhe two latter
Lord Byron's executor>.l and one or two others,
whose names did not learn. we're present.
The body lay in the large drawing room, on the
frs, story, which was hung with black cloth and
lighted with wax candles. Soon alter my arrival
the work OF opening the coF!n commenced. This
was soon effected, and when the last covering was
removed, We beheld the face OF the l!lustrlous
dead
" All cold and all serene"
Were TO live a thousand years should never,
never forget that moment For years mad been
intimate with the mind OF Byron. His. wondrouS
works had thrown q charm around my daily paths,
and with all the enthusiasm oi youth had almost
adored his genus With MS features, through the
medium of paintings, had been familiar from my
boyhood and now, far more beautiful, even IN
death, than my most vivid fancy had ever pictured,
there they lay in marble repose.
The BODY was not atlired IN that most awful OF
habiliments-a shroud Il was wrapped IN blue
cloth cloak and The throat and head We're uncov-
cred. The former was beautifully moulded The
head Of the poet was covered with short, crisp,
curling locks, slightly sireaked with grey haus,
especially over the temples, which were ample and
free from halr, as We see IN the portraits. ne
face had nothing OF the appearance OF death about
lit was neither snaken nor dIscolored IN the
least but OF dead marble wh!teness-he expreS-
SION was that of stern repose. How classcaliy
beautiful was the curved upper IIH and the chm
fancied the nose appeared as II II was notin har-
mony with the other features; but IT might posi-
by have been little distigured by the process OF
embalming The forehead was high and broad
indeed. the whole head was extremely larce-lt
must have been so TO contain brain OF such ca
2acIty.
But wha, struck me most was the exceeding
beauty of the profile, as observed 1t when The
head was lifted, In the operation OF removing the
CORPSE Il was perfect IN lis way. and seemed like
a production Of Phldias. Indeed II tar more re-
sembled an exquisite piece OF sculpture than the
face of the dead-so still. so sharply Defined and
so marble IKE In lis repos-. caught the view OF
it but for moment; yet II was long enough to
have it stamped upon my memory as
4 thing OF beauty,
which poor Keats tells us is ga Joy forever" 1t
is indeed a melancholy JOY TO me- 10 have eazed
upon the sieat poet. As Washington Irving says
Of the old sexton who crcp; into the vault where
Shakespeare was entombed, and beheld there the
dust OF ages" II was something even to have
seen the dust OF Byron
Among the persons engaged in the performance
OF the Office OF removal, noted one-a tall, thin
mar who spoke lulr and seemed absorbed in
grief. He would scarcely allow any one 10 touch
The corpse-and, with his own hands, he composed
the bead in lis new resting place. The words.
''My dear Lord - were frequently uttered by him,
while performing his melancholy duties It was
Fle,cher-Byrons faithful! valet. This man after
ward told me the parilcul lars OF the noble Poets
death. and gave me lock of his hair. Fletcher
did not long survive his beloved master.