Middletown transcript., 1868-02-29
Our Oln,
The Castle. of England.

A letter from Stratford-on Avon to the
Philadelphia Press, describes the home
and grave of Shakespeare. From thence
the visitor bowled along the level and
hedgc-lined road, the air redolent with
the breath of the hawthorn, the sweet
briar, and the laburnum, and the arching
trees of England. The surrounding coun-
try is literally filled with the stately cas-
ties Of ancient families. ea
What an unwritten yet forgotten poem
it is, the humble grave of Shakespeare, in
the centre Of these ostentatious palaces
The unpretending poet, safe of his ever
lasting fame, and the living peer, spend
ing his millions to keep his dead ancestors
from oblivion. Within short ride by
rail is g Blenheim, the gorgeous estate Of
the Duke of Marlborough, well described
as an earthly paradise" 1t was pre-
sented by Queen Anne to the great duke
after his glorious victory at Blenheim,
and Parliament voted two millions five
hundred thousand dollars for its adorn-
ment. The opulence that marked the Or
iginal gift has been initiated by the pro-
fusion Of the succeeding outlays to main
tain its grandeur A park of 2,700 acres
filed with focks of sheep and herds of
dcer--an artificial lake covering over two
hundred acres-plants and flowers from
every quarter of the known world-walks,
waterfalls, and fountains-endless statuary
tapestries and paintings nearly two hun
dred years old, including ancient master
p9ices of Rubens and Titian-a library
two hundred feet long, containing nearly
49, 900 volumes, the whole of these luxu-
ries including in building, the front of
which is $50 feet in length-all to do hon.
or to successful general and his naughty
duchess, who, Notwithstanding his victo-
ries, is denounced by Macaulay as cor
rupt, faithless and dangerous courtier.
And all this vast expanse of soil and these
| priceless luxuries are left for nine months
of the year to the care of a few servants,
| because the present owner can not bear the
cost of living here, while hundreds and
thousands of Gods creatures are living
and almost starving at his very gates
You thus can have an idea of what is cal
led the territorial aristocracy of England.
Eight miles from Shakspeare's grave is the
stately castle of the Earl of Warwick,
where, though the grounds are not so ex-
tensive as those of " Blenhcim," the mi
nor objects are scarcely less costly.
Here, indeed, the Muse of History can
recall the past and forecast the future !;
but the contrast between the enduring re-
nown of great genius like Shakespeare
and the feeting fame of those who live
only on their princes favors remains the
same. Kenilworth" is in the same To-
cality. wandered among its moscow
cred ruins-all unroofed and deserted as
they are-and traced the lines of the huge
structure which three hundred years ago
re-echoed to the revelry of the royal cour-
tiers and their retainers, and re-read in the
fascinating pages of Sir Walter Scott, the
bitter rivalries of Essex and Leicester, the
sad fate of Amy Robsart, the splendid
progress of Queen Elizabeth from London,
az described by the Wizard Of the North /;
and fancied the crowds that thronged
the roads and filled the broad demcsne
around the residence of the handsome fa-
vorite. Not far off is " Chatsworth," !" the
estate of the Duke of Dcvonshire, far
more expensive, though more modern than
Blenheim."
i Here found park of two thousand
acres, and over six thousand deer; pal
ace of quadrangular form, with an open
court in the middle, in the centre of which
is splendid fountain. 1t is impossible
to describe the works of art and the money
spent to adorn an establishment occupied
only exceptionally by its titled owner.
The gardens and conservatory are the
gems. They were planned and laid out
by Sir Joseph Paxon, who was formerly
a common gardener of the Dukes, 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 cir
Gle is Newstead Abby, the abode of Lord
Byron, now owned and occupied by Col.
Wildman, gentleman of cultivation and
taste. But among all the splendors Of
these gorgeous habitations and almost inn
perial estates, could not forget much was
wasted and lost that ought to be distribu-
ted among the people, and how securely
and easily the fame of Shakespeare was
preserved amid the expensive contyivan-
ces Of the aristocracy to keep its empty
names alYe.