Butte record., 1853-12-24
LITERARY RELICS.

between the years 1901 and 1863, existed
only few years back, at No. Is, York
street, Westminster, London. Jeremy
Bentham, to whom the house belonged,
put up tablet on the back wall (be-
heved to have been the front in the DO
cts time) inscribed "sacred to Milton,
prince of poets" This house wherein
part of 'Paradise Lost' was undoubt-
edly composed, was at the time we allude
to, rented to two or three poor families,
the ground floor being converted into
chandler's shop. From the parlor win
dows the poet could have commanded a
view of St. James Park, more pictur
esque then than at present At Chal-
font, in Buckinghamshire, is another
residence of Milton's, in which he com
posed paradise Regained" Though
the pear tree, said to have been planted
by Cromwell, in Sidney College, Cam
bridge, was cut down in March, 1888,
the mulberry tree, planted by his illus
trious latin secretary, Milton has been
more fortunate, still fourishing in the
pleasant garden of Christ's College,
where it was planted by the youthful
student.
Some years ago it suffered considera-
bly, from a violent gale of wind, which
sadly shattered it; but its aged bows
were carefully propped up, and its trunk
protected by partial covering of lead.
With these aids it promised to look
green for many years to come Its fer
tility appeared to have undergone no
change, in the summer it was laden with
fruit, OF which more than two bushels of
the finest flavor were gathered in the
season Of 535. The smallest fragments
from this tree were religiously cherished
by the poets numerous admirers In
August, 1890, when Milton's coffin was
discovered buried under the desk in the
channel Of the church of St. Giles,
Cripplegate, some friends of the over
seer contrived, at night time, to possess
themselves of the hair and some of the
teeth of the immortal poet.
In the grounds Of Arlington Abbey,
Northamptonshire, stands Garrick's null
berry tree, with his inscription upon
copper attached to one of the limbs -
''This tree YVES planted by David Gar
rick, Esq, at the request of Ann Thurs.
by, as a growing testimony of tn air
friendship. 1873"
Henry Kirke Whites favorite tree,
whereon he had cut "H X W, lSO5,"
stood on the sands at Whitton, in Nor
thumberland, till it was cut down by the
woodman's; but in veneration for the
poets memory, the portion bearing his
initials was carefully preserved in an el-
egant gilt frame.
Some years ago, curious armchair,
which had belonged to Gay, the poet,
was sold at public auction, at Barnstable
his native place 1t contained a drawer
underneath the seat, at the extremity of
which was a smaller drawer, connected
by rod in front, by whic'. it was drawn
out.
Benjamin Franklin's fine crab tree
walking-stick, with gold head, curiously
wrought in the form of cap of liberty,
we all know was bequeathed in a codicil
to his will, Ito the friend of mankind,
General Washington , adding that if it
had been sceptre he has merited it,
and would become it, General Wash
ington has fame beyond the price of
sceptres.
Pope's house at Binfcld has been
pulled down, but the poets parlor still
exists as part of the present mansion,
erected on the spot. A patch Of the
great forest near Binfeld has been hon
orably preserved, under the name of
Pope's wood His house at Twicken-
ham is gone, the galden is bare, but the
celebrated grotto remains, stript, howev-
er, Of all that gave it picturesquness,
grace and beauty
Cowper's house, at Olney, is still
standing, in the same ruinous state SO
humorously described by the poet /; his
parlor is occupied as girls school. The
summer house in the garden, in which
he used to sit coming his verses, also
remains, its walls covered with visitors
names. His residence in the neighbor-
ing village of Weston has been much
altered, but is still beautiful, with a pro-
fusion of roses in it.
Goldsmith S cottage at Kilburn, where
in he wrote the Vicar of Wakefield and
the Deserted Village, was taken down a
few years ago, to moke way for new
buildings.