Mr. Henry Drury was so good as to
communicate to me a request conveyed to you by Lord
Byron respecting the burial of a child in this church.
Mr. H. Drury will probably have also stated to you my
willingness to comply with the wish of Lord Byron. Will
you forgive me, however, for so far trespassing upon you (though a stranger) as
to suggest an inquiry whether it might not be practicable and desirable to
fulfil for the present only a part of his Lordship’s wish—by
burying the child, and putting up a tablet with simply its name upon the
tablet; and thus leaving Lord B. more leisure to reflect upon the character of
the inscription he may wish to be added. It does seem to me that whatever he
may wish in the moment of his distress about the loss of this child, he will
afterwards regret that he should have taken pains to proclaim to the world what
he will not, I am sure, consider as honourable to his name. And if this be
probable, then it appears to me the office of a true friend not to suffer him
to commit himself but to allow his mind an opportunity of calm deliberation. I
feel constrained to say that the inscription he proposed will be felt by every
man of
| BURIAL OF ALLEGRA. | 431 |
