Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-07-14
THE HOME OF BYRON.

| have just returned from a visit to Newstead
Abbey. Long have wished to go there. No
more the seat of the Byrons, but the seat of q
gentleman and scholar, and one who knew and
loved the author of "Chlde Harold's Pilgrim
age" both before and after he parted with the
home of his ancestors. With some claim to ac-
quaintanceship Iwent to Nottingham,and called
on Philip James Baly, the author of "Festus," :"
and we visited Newstead together. There is a
charm in visiting the home of poet, and doub-
ly SO when you have poet for your companion
and guide. Taking the train at Nottingham,we
were set down at the Limby station, two miles
from Newstead, reaching it by very pleasant
road and by-paths through one of the oldest of
England's primitive villages, and considerable
wild wooded scenery. The brooks and streams
of water are most charming, gurgling and dam
cling in The bright sunshine, each one pretty e.
nough to be the veritable brook whose genius
conversed so famiiarly with the spirit Of the Ca
nal in DR.. Aiken's reverie.
Arrived in sight of the house-the Abbey
we sat down on grassy knoll at the top OF
rising ground, and leisurely surveyed the sur
rounding scenery. To the left lay the estates
of Charworth family whose lands joined the By
ron property. Well would it have been had the
youthful lord married the girl he loved the
sweet Mary Charworth. AS he says:-- " 1t
would have joined lands long since divided, for
mer injuries, between the two families, and
should have been happy.
A fine tree stood on the hill at the right of
the path, under which the poet no doubt has of
ten been. We were not near enough to see
what the tree was, probably an oak or beech
The surrounding landscape was beautiful We
walked down through a fine piece of wood TO
the house. On the left was the lake, seen in all
small views of Newstead the water from which
used to carry mill, but Col. Wyldman the pres
ent proprietor, has taken down the mill, and
made a fine waterfall, of some twenty-five feet
in height, and on the lower level, to the right of
the pathway, he has made another lake. The
front view of Newstead is familiar to the read
ers Of Byron, as picture oft, accompanies most
editions ofhis works. About one half--the left
of the front of the house rs it stands in the
picture, is a bare wall once forming the front of
the chapel, all Of which except this wall, now
being gone. The rest of the view is the front
of the house, now kept in complete repair, and
the residence of the colonel himself But alas,
like many of the Byrons, he leaves no son and
heir to inherit it, having never been married.
Unless sold, it will some day pass into the hands
of his brother
Ringing at the door an intelligent and agree
able middle aged lady presented herself and bid
us enter A party of three or four took leave
the moment we entered the house. We found
no introductions of ceremonies were required,
and of all pilgrims, Americans are al,cays well
come. We were taken over the building
There VIC saw the unique coffin that contained
the bones of the ancient monk, who was dug up
under the abbey, while the poet lived, and whose
skull was made into drinking cup for the young
lord and his registering company to drink wine
from. The cup was shown to us, and must
confess that there was nothing belonging to the
poet, that looked at with more interest. There
it was, rather thick SkuH' too, as well as | can
Judge of the diameter of the case that holds n
mans brain. Outside it was covered or trimmed
with silver down about halfway, and on it was
the well known inscription, showing, that what
ever flows" from that "is never dull" The
silver extends down about three-quarters of an
inch inside, and with these exceptions the skull
was naked and bare. The color of the inside
showed evident traces of having had wine in it
habtually, for it was soaked dark red color.
actually wanted to drink wine out of it. Ii
would never have made my caput any different
from the ordinary cabbage head" 1t is at pres
ent, but faith, lwould have "poured the draught