BYRON'S BODY.
(To THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR."] Sia,—In your notice of the Byron film you end up with a story about the arrival of Byron's body in England, but I think the statement is hardly borne out by the facts. As you are doubtless aware, we have a full and accurate record of the event in Lord Broughton's Recollections of a Long Life. The body was brought home in the 'Florida,' and Hobhouse went down to the ship at Gravesend and was on board at the London Docks when Byron's body was transferred to the coffin. He writes as follows :— " I found Mr. Woodeson, the undertaker, on board, employed in emptying the spirit from the large barrel containing the box that held the corpse. This box was removed and placed on deck by the side of a leaden coffin, I stayed whilst the iron hoops were knocked off the box, but I could not bear to see the remainder of tho operation, and went into the cabin. . . . Mr. Woodeson came into the cabin and told me the body was placed in the coffin, and asked me if I wished to Gee it. I believe I should have dropped down dead if I had ventured to look at it. He told me, as did the physician, Bruno, that it had almost the freshness and firmness of life."
It will be noted that the body was not placed in the spirit, and was not " black as a. cheroot," and that no member of Byron's family was present on its arrival. The body was, of course, consigned to Hobhouse as executor. It is always desirable to verify one's references.—I am, Sir, &c.,
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