Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-09-27
Lady Byron's Family and mrs.
stowe.

Lord Wentworth, tho grandson OF
Lady Noel Byron, and the only surviv-
ing son of the Earl Of Lovolace, has
addressed the following letter to the
Pail Mall Gazette
Sir: In your number of September
al vol, saw that Mrs. Stowe is not a
fragrant offender against prophecies,
because my sister and are supposed to
have intended to publish correspon-
4lence relating to Lord and Lady By
rons conjugal differences.
Now, surprising Mrs. Stoves nara
tive to have been really "true story,
and that we had meant to reveal the
whole OF our grandmother history, l
do not see what defense that is to Mrs.
Stowe against the charge of repeating
what was told her in q "privato conf
dental conversation"
But it Is not true that Lady Anne
Blunt and | ever intended to publish
correspondence of the nature mention
ed. About three years ago manu-
script in Lady Noel Byron's handwrlt-
ing was found among her papers, Civ
ing an account of some circumstances
connected with her marriage, and ap-
parently intended for publication after
her death; but as this seemed not quite
certain, no decision as to its pullica-
ton was come to. In the event of a
memoir being written, this manuscript
might, perhaps, be included, but hith-
erto it has not been proposed to publish
any other matter about her separation.
This statement, in Lady Byron's
own handwriting, does not contain any
accusation of SO grave nature as that
which Mrs. Stowe asserts was told her,
and Mrs. Stoves story of the separa-
ton is inconsistent with what | have
seen in various letters, &C., of Lady
Byron's.
Lady Byron says in her statement
that before being published it ought to
be submitted to some person who had
read through the consumed Byron
memoirs, SO as to secure the cofrec-
ton of any misstatements. | cannot
see that Messrs. Wharton and Fords
make charge of material lnaccuracy
against Mrs. Stowe; | believe they
meant to assert the inaccuracy of the
whole article. |, for one, cannot allow
that Mrs Stoves statement Is sub
stantially correct according to your
inference and that Of one or two other
newspapers
r. questing the favor of the insertion
of my explanation in your valuable
Journal, remain your obedient servant,
WENTWORTH.
Boulogne, Sept. 7, 1869.
a VENERABLE DoWAGER's STORY
correspondent of the London Times
says: am permitted 10 give some
details furnished me by a lady Of great
natural abilities and keen observation,
unimpaired by advanced age eighty
two) whose knowledge of the world
fashionable, political and literary-both
of days long past and these, is perhaps
unsurpassed. The Dowager Lady S.
writes as follows
eve have great subject Of interest
in Mrs. Stoves account of Lord Byron.
| want to know the truth. have seen
a great deal of Mrs. Leigh (Augusta)
having passed some days with her and
Col. Lei Oh, for ny husbands shooting
near Newmarket, when Lord Byron
was in the house, and, as she told me,
was writing. The Corsair,' 10 my great
astonishment, for it was wie'cAed
small house, full of her ill-trained
children, who were always running up
and down stairs and going into 'uncle's'
bedroom, where he remained all the
morning. Mrs Leigh was like a |
mother to Byron, being So much older,
and not at all an attractive person.
afterwards went with her, at her re,
quest, to pay wedding visit to Lady
Byron when she returned to town, and
she MRS. Leigh) expressed the greatest
anxiety that his marriage should re-
form him. lie opened the drawing
room door himself, and received my
congratulations as savagely as | ex-
pected, looking demon-like, as he often
did. But my establishment at the pres
ent accusation is unbounded. She, a
Dowdy-G oody. 1 being then, suppose,
young fine lady. Scrope Davis used
to come to dinner, and talked to me a
great deal about Byron afterwards,
when he resided In the country, and |
never remember hint at this unnatur-
al and improbable liaison, when all
London was at Byron's feet. l have
heard from Lady A -, relative
to -, and to Mrs. Leigh, that my
recollection of her was perfectly correct.
She SAYS she was an amiable and devo-
ted wife, and mother of seven children
Her husband was very fond of her, and |
had high opinion of her. She must
have been married lin 1907 when By
ron was quite boy, The was nineteen:)
She had no taste for poetry. She had a
sad misfortune in her later years. Her
excellent and only surviving daughter
nursed her with the tenderest affection
in her last illnoss. How any one
could have been SO wicked as to write
SO horrible story of one too long dead
to have friends left who could refute
the story, seems beyond belief"