The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-02
The Castles of the Nobility In
England. q
From Colonel Forney's letter.

OOlOnci oIucy 1StbOf.J
Within a few days / have visited
the seats of the surrounding nobility,
for Stratford- Avon is literally
filed with the stately castles of the
ancient families. What an unwritten
yet unforgotten poem it is, the humble
grave of Shakespeare in the center of
these ostentatious palaces! The un-
pretending poet, safe in his ever
lasting fame, and the living peer,
spending his millions to keep his dead
ancestors from oblivion. Within a
short ride by rail is Blenheim," the
gorgeous estate of the Duke of Marl-
borough, well described as IAN earth
ly paradise" 1t was presented by
Queen Anne to the Great Duke after
his glorious victory at Blenheim, and
Parliament voted two millions five
hundred thousand dollars for it's
adornment. The opulence that
marked the original gift has been imi-
tated by the profusion of the succeed
ing OUTLAWS to maintain its grandeur.
A park of twenty-seven hundred
acres, filled with focks of sheep and
herds of deer-an artificial lake
covering over two hundred acres
plants and flowers from every quarter
of the known world--walks, water
falls and fountains-endless statuary--
tapestries and paintings nearly two
hundred years old. including ancient
masterpieces of Rubens and Titan
a library two hundred feet long, con-
tanning nearly eighteen thousand vol
umes, the whole of these Injuries in
Guided in a building the front of
which is three hundred and fifty feet
in length-all to do honor to sue
cessful General and his naughty
duchess, who, Notwithstanding his
victories, is denounced by Macaulay
as a corrupt, faithless, and dangerous
courtier! And all this vast expanse
of soil and these priceless Injuries
are left for nine months of the year
to the care of a few servants, because
the present owner cannot bear the
cost of living here, while hundreds
and thousands Of Gods creatures are
living and almost starving at his very
gates! You can thus have an idea of
what is called the territorial aristoc-
racy of England. Eight miles from
Shakspeare's grave is the stately cas-
tie of the Earl of Warwick, where,
though the grounds are not so extern
sive as those of Blenheim," the in
ner objects are scarcely less costly.
Here, indeed, the Muse of History
can rscall the past and forecast the
future; but the contrast between the
enduring renown of a great genius
like Shakespeare and the fleeting fame
of those who lived only upon their
princes favors remains the same.
A. Kenilworth " is in the same locality.
L wandered among its moss covered
ruins-all unroofed and deserted as
they are-and traced the lines of the
huge structure which three hundred
years ago ECHOED to the revelry of
the royal courtiers and their retainers,
and re-read in the fascinating pages
of Sir Walter Scott the bitter rival
ries of Essex and Leicester, the sad
fate of Amy Robsart, the splendid
progress of Queen Elizabeth from
London, as described by the Wizard
of the North; and | fancied the
crowds that thronged the roads and
filed the broad demesne around the
residence of the handsome favorite.
Not far off is Chatsworth," the es-
tate of the Duke of Devonshire,
far more expansive though
more modern than Blen-
helm" Here | found park
Of two thousand acres and over six
thousand deer; palace OF quadrangle
lar form, with an open court in the
in the center of which is
splendid fountain. 1t is impossible,
even if it were any part of my pur-
pose, to describe the works of art and
the money spent to adorn an estab-
lishment occupied only exceptionally
by its titled owner. The gardens and
are the gems. They
were planned and laid out by Sir. Jo-
seph Paxton, who was formerly COM
mon gardener of the Duke, and whose
salary was larger than that of the
President of the United States. Close
at hand is Haddon Hall, another old
castle, with large grounds, and in the
same circle is Newstead Abbey, the
abode of Lord Byron, now owned and
occupied by Colonel Wiidman, a gen
tleman of cultivation and taste. /