Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-05-13
The Last of the Byron Mania.

Lady P, an English woman of great age and
wealth. recently died in Paris, where she had
lived almost from time immemorial, and had q
very large visiting acquaintance. She resided in
the Fauburg ST. Honore, and one large room in
her hotel was devoted to collection of relics
of Lord Byron, which, from its extent and value,
might truly be called Byronian Museum
The aged possessor of these treasures, woman
of much intelligence and originality of charac-
ter, pretended that Lord Byron had once enter
tanned an ardent passion for her, which seemed
the more astonishing to her friends, as it was
very apparent that Lady P. could never have
been beautiful, or even pretty. Her figure was
short and Informed, and her features were de-
cidedly and hopelessly ugly. Nothing could
have been harsher than the sound of her voice,
except when she spoke of Byron, with Ian
gushing glance through pair OF gold specta-
cles, poised on a nose of immense size. The
sentimental old lady did not deny having shared
the passion of the poet, but added that this love
had always been platonic on her side, and that
she had driven Byron to despair by the infiexl-
bility of her virtue.
Her friends delighted to draw her out on this
subject, which she illustrated with interesting
details, curious traits and piquant anecdotes
She had casket, which she opened with COM
pacent pride, containing several letters from
Byron, and unpublished verses which he had
dedicated to her. No one dared to suggest the
slightest doubt of their genuineness, as this was
sin which she never pardoned. A portrait OF
Byron, painted on the medallion of bracelet,
never left her arm. The poet himself had given
her this portrait, and accompanied the present
with an enamored dstich. Lady z. possessed
five or six other portraits of Lord Byron, all
worry beautiful. There is one particularly re-
markable, full length by Lawrence. Another
was painted at Venice, and represents Byron on
horseback on the banks of the Lido. After the
death OF the poet, Lady p. collected with ploui
ZEAL every object she could find which had once
belonged to him. This hero worship is invest
ed with O melancholy and touching charm
To accomplish her sef-imposed mission, the in.
trepid lady undertook long pilgrimage, and
traversed all the places Byron had inhabited
from his birth to his death. She visited Aber
deem in Scotland, the Gothic manor of Newstesd
the University of Cambridge, London, Brighton
Spain. Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Lombar'
DIV. Milan. Venice, and at last Greece, the tomt
Of the poet. Everywhere she found something
and devoted to these precious acquisitions q con
siderable fortune. 1t is thus she formed large
collection of furniture, manuscripts, arms ano
clothes. Among them are the dressing cases o.
Lord Byron from fifteen to twenty books con-
tanning rough sketches OF his poems, his pocket
book, his writing-desk, his gun. his pistols, hi
dagger his robes as peer of England, his purse
his rings, lock of his hair, his letters and those
addressed to him, his dressing gown,the harness
of his horse, the bed on which he died, and thu
cloak which covered him when he gave up hi
his spirit at Missolonghi, on Easter Monday
1924 >,
LADY P. was never married; she was maid
en- when she first met Lord Byron, and she al
ways remained faithful to the platonic low
which has occupied her life. Her heirs are dis
tant relations, who, not having the same in
terest in the Byron Museum, will probably pu
it up at auction, and the amateurs Of curiositie
will reap the benefit.