Star. — 1829-09-23 (London, England)

EARL OF HARRINCTON.  The late Earl of Harrington possessed large estates in Cheshire. The singularly rural village of Gawswonh, near Maccks6eld, belongs to the Harrington family, the descent of which to them forms a rather curious feature in the history of patrimonial alienation. it was originally possessed by the ancient knightly family of the Fitton.; and Sir Edward Fitton, who had been created a Baronet, dying in 164', left it to hi. nephew, Charles Gerard, first Earl of Macclesheld. Sir Edward's four sisters, however, took possession of the estates, when a new claimant appeared, in the person of Wm. Fitton, grandson of Sir Edward, who ejected them by the production of a deed made by the Baronet. when Lord Treasurer of Ireland, in favour of his next heir male. Jim at the Restoration Sir Edward's will in favour of Gerard was fully established, after a mat expensive and procrastinated litigation. Indeed, a pamphlet was published at the Hague in, 1663, which boldly asserted that the will under which Chas. Gerald held had been forged, and to accomplish which several had joined it, the conspiracy. It is observed in the county history, " Whether the conduct of Fitton was met by similar guilt on the part of Lord Gerard. Goo only can judge, but his hand fell heavily on the representatives of that noble house; in less than half a century the husbands of its two coheiresses—James Duke of Hamilton and Charles Lord Nlohun— were slain by each other's hands In a murderous duel•, arising out of a dispute relative to the partition of the Fitton estates ; and Gawswonh itself passed to an unliuran hand, by a series of alienations complicated beyond example in the annals of the county." From the Earl of Macclesfield the estate passed to Lady Alohun, and from her eventually (1727), by purchase, to the Right lion. Wm. Stanhope, Vice Chamberlain of the Household. The woods of Gawswonh are known to the lovers of dramatic incideot, from their containing the tomb of Samuel Johnson. altos Lord Flame, the eccentric author of Hatrioetntarbo, hist produced at the Haymarket theatr: in 1725. It is placed over " unconsecrated earth," in a secluded part of the thicket—and nearly— or was overgrown with underwood. Whotever may have been his eaebrity in his early days (and he was then a constant " boon companion" at the Earl's table), in his latter poetical of life he was much reduced, becoming the common butt of the rustics. who designated him OM Maggoity. He expreseed a wish on his death-bed to be burled in Gawswonh wood, and be assnetied as a reason, that be was certain, if be was interred in the churchyard. that at the resurrection some old woman or other would he quarrelling with him for the possession of a leg or thigh bone, at d therefore he was determined to keep himself to himself. A v..ult was therefore made fur his body in one of his favourite haunts, and it bears this inscription outside : Under this stone rest the remain. of Mr. Samuel Johnson, afterwards ennobled with the grander title of Lord Flame, who. atter having been in his life distinct from other m-a. by the ec:entrickles of his genius, chose to retain the same character after death, and was at his own desire buried here, May 5, . Al).