The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-08-20
Lord Byron's Grave.

The Byron Memorial Committee, Of
which Mr.. Disraeli is chairman, recent
" adopted a resolution providing that
a slab be placed over Lord Byron's grave
in the chancel of HucknaH Torkard
Church. Most admirers of the poet
would deem this very proper thing, so
far as their appreciation of his genius Is
concerned and without knowing the PEI
euIiaF circumstances of the eassi but 1t
turns out that the committee have been
triAs too fast in pushing the project,
thereby bringing about very little COM
plication. The following letter to Mr..
Disraeli. which is published in the Lon>
don Times, will explain the present as>
pect of the matter
StR.-I take the liberty of writing TO
YOU on a subject in which you are at least
nom;naIlv interested-the byron Meme>
rial Committee" | see by an advertise
ment in the Times that at q general
meeting, held on Wednesday last, the
committee. In your absence, passed,
among others the following resolution
''That a slab be placed over Lord By;
rom 8 grave In the chancRl of HacknalI
TorksTd Church" The presence of
Lord Isoyelace at the meeting, and his
doubt caused the impression that such q
proceeding would be gratifying to the
descendants and other near relations OF
the poes. am sure you will not misun>
stand me if | tell you that the very re-
verse is the case. The view takenNOf this
| matter by Lord Wentworth and myself,
his grandchildren by Miss Leigh, his
neice, and l believe by others OF
| the family, will endeaVor to express.
We have not forgotten that when Lord
Byron's remains were brought back to
| England they were refused resting
/ pIaceain Westminster Abbey that ii
| was left to his sister, Mrs. Leigh, and his
| friend, Mr.. Hobhouse-perhaps the two
who loved him best-tO bury him, and
that together they placed a tablet 60
| his memory. What their affection then
| deemed suitable We still hold to be
enough, nor can we think that the addi-
ton of a slab placed by subscription IN
HucknalI Church would add anything
TO the dignity of the Poeti
tomb. At least, it is not for the public
| which denied a worthier grave, to
take now, after fifty years, unask'
ing, from his family the guardianship
of their dead
/ ! am sure that if the committee had
been made aware Of this it would no
have passed the resolution TO which we
object; but, unfortunately, the Opportu
nifty was not offered to US of expressing
our feeling to them, l venture, however
| to hope that you will not refuse me your
assistance in privately pointing out this
aspect Of the affair to the committee, land
so render it necessary for me to aP
/ pear publicly in a matter which my
brothers absence from England leaves
me the responsibility of dealing with
ANNE IsABELL NOEL BLUNT.
To the Right Hon. B. Disraeli, NJ. P.
Not great while before his death,
Lord Byron requested that his bu ria
should be unattended with ceremony
and that only his name and age should
appear on his tomb He subsequently
expressed the wish that IpplOra Pace
and nothing more, be placed over hi
remains. In English Bard and Scotch
Reviewer" he wrote:
Believe a won an 0t an eFiGEph,
| Or any other thing that's false before
| Yeu trust in critics.
And in Child Harold"
haYs not loved the world, nor the world me.
The committee will probably not pro
ceed further in the matter. Lord By
ROM 3 memory needs an esitaph as httlt
as he desired one.