Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-03-01
correspondence of the Beacon.)
RICHMOND, Va, }
Feb. l9, 1877.

correspondence oil the Beacon.
RICHMOND, Va,
Feb. I9, 1877.
To the Beacon:
Gone time I saw, but thou could's ST not
Flying between cold moon and earth, Cupid, oil
armed,
A certain ain, he took, at fair vcsta throned by
the west,
And loosed his love-shsft smartly from is bow
As if to pierce an hundred thousand hearts"
That beautiful and loving Mary An
derson was here playing in Lady OF
Lyons, Romeo and Juliet" and other
plays so full OF sentiment; and the dra-
matte "love-shafts" seem to have hurled
mental destruction into the hearts of
some OF RIchmond's gentlemen. But
the same distraction was felt during
Nelson's visit here, so what must we
think OF the fickleness shown by them :
Miss Anderson-so reports go-is a
young Kentucky girl still in her teens,
who made her debut IN Louisville a wear
ago, and who has since risen to the dig
nifty OF dramatic star Of the first mag
nitude. Her career seems one continued
success, and each appearance has won
her new laurels. In all her plays she en-
GELS. Without lineage, she has ACHE we'd
the finest nobility, and with no other
prestige than her genius has hewn her
way TO fame. She is genuine South
rrn girl, and withal very pretty. Her
acting, in my humble opinion, is not
nearly so polished as Nelson's. 1t
could not be in the nature of things. for
she has only served very limited ap-
premiership. In what is termed stage
presence. she is superior to Nelson, but
the beauty and appearance Of the two
are not to be com pared. The latter is
GrecIan in feature. and classic-perfect
the former Is pretty, roundly built, and
what in the English sense is called a
fine homely girl. But she took here.
and now this Western vestal, this
Imperial votress has passed on,
In maiden meditation, fancy free
Each time listen to the PLAY Of Romeo
and Juliet | find myself wondering if
Byron did not plagiarize the idea en-
bodied in the first line of Parisina:
"'Tis the hour when the nj gh,ingals high note
is heard
In the scene where the parting comes
previous to Romeo'> going into banish-
ment some controversy is brought about
by Romeo telling Juliet he hears the
sound Of the lark. She cannot be made
TO believe il is anything but the nightin-
gale. The one indicating it is time to
part, the other finding an excuse for
further delay, and that Il Is still suita-
bic hour for lovers 20 be together. |
merely mention this Us an idea of nine
Speaking of Byron, am impelled to
relate little matter of personal expe-
rience whereby | gained authentic in
telligencc concerning 4 mooted point in
connection with the poem entitled Maid
OF Athens" In general, Hteratears have
always regarded a Mrs. Walker, wife
of British officer, rs the original of the
poem, and the one who had taken him
captive, or did so regard her until re-
Gently. l can show that this was an e.
ror conclusively. In April, 1862, a ves-
sci | was attached to started from Pal
ermo TO go to Genoa. On the passage
the captain altered his mind and con-
cluded to 20 TO Athens, or as near as he
could get. Our draft of water was great.
Soon after, our officers were.in Athens
at hop given by an American named
Parsons. AT this gentleman's house
was presented TO Miss Walker. Du-
ring an interval in the dance-having
m my mind what was the generally ac-
ccpted idea egarding this poem-Iasked
her il she had heard Of the story and did
she know anything Of the lady She
smiled, and sald, Yes, the lady is nv
mother" On asking her If she could
give me any information concerning the
tradition, she replied. "Not much farther
than TO state that the story was untrue.
because when Byron came TO A,heus
first he stopped at the house of my grand.
mother, q little one and a-half story
house on - street. NV mother at
that time was only nine years old. By
ron stayed there only a short time com
paratively, and after his death, some old
boxes and trunks were ransacked and
this poem found. He was a very CAV
man and had host Of lady friends; one
of these must have been the heroine.
for the reason that IL is simply impossi-
BILE that Byron would have written in
such strain regarding . girl only nine
years DID," She also told ne the house
was sill standing, but would soon be
torn down 10 make room for improve
ments. Later in the evening Mrs. WAL
ker, herself, verified the above. Think
Mrs. Walker died in 1870. II. in Civ.