358 CONVERSATION WITH LORD BYRON .

proprietor, has thrown an interest around it that fewprivate mansions can boast; and it will, ever hereafter,be an object of curiosity to the scholar and traveller, ifto no others.

Lord Byron has an estate in the vicinity of New-stead, and was kind enough to say, if I should ever visitEngland, he would be happy to see me in Nottingham­ shire ; with the promise of accompanying me to theabbey. The additional if, puts the event, humanlyspeaking, among the improbabilities of my life; butshould such a thing take place, I am sure the gratifi-cation I might receive from treading the halls and clois-ters of Newstead, would not arise from any feelings ofveneration or respect for its former master. I admirethe powers and brilliancy of his genius, less than I ab-hor their later monstrous perversion and prostitution.

Our nearness to the land and mountains gave us abeautiful sunset scene and evening, so much so as tocall into exercise the poetic talent of our friend Mr.Bloxam, and secure the following effusion, which Ifound enclosed in a polite note on my writing-desk, onour return from the after-cabin.

Coasting along the Island of Hawaii —SaturdayEvening, June 11, 1825.

Eve, gentle Eve, the mourner’s friend art thouCalming his lonely heart, his alter’d brow;

Bidding again his former pleasures live

With added charms, which thou alone canst give.

Seen through thy misty veil, the years gone byAre dearest far to pensive memory.