Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Journal of Elizabeth Lady Holland (1791-1811), Vol. 2 of 2: 1799-1811
From thence we went across a very moderate road to Kenilworth by the remains of the castle it appears to have far exceeded Warwick in splendour and extent.
On ye 29th we went through Birmingham. Having seen it last year we did not stop, but went straight on to the Leasowes, a spot rendered celebrated by Shenstone; it is very unworthy Of the praise he bestowed upon it, and is now fallen into decay. About three miles further is Hagley the park is very beautiful, the house simple. The comfortless taste prevalent in England Of placing the house in a lawn where sheep and cattle feed close to the windows, instead Of ornamental gardens, gives rather a disconsolate appearance to it otherwise it is almost as desirable as a country residence (a bad thing at best) can be. It was built by the good Ld. Lyttelton,1 as he is generally called to distinguish him from his son, who, in contradistinction, is termed the bad. His much-loved wife, whom he celebrates under the name of Lucy, is buried in the church. It destroys the pathos excited by his elegy, if one recollects that within two years of her death he married a fat, vulgar, rich widow, for her wealth.
Sir George Lyttelton (1709 created Baron Lyttelton in 1756. He married, first, in 1742, Lucy, daughter of Hugh Fortescue, Esq., of Filleigh, co. Devon and secondly, in 1749, Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Robert Rich, Bart. His son, Thomas, born in 1744, succeeded his father, but died without issue in 1779, when the peerage expired. It was, however, te-created in 1794 in favour of a cousin, from whom the present owner of Hagley, Viscount Cobham, is directly descended.
Went thro' Bridgenorth, situated picturesquely upon the Severn, which, by-the - bye, is a yellow, muddy stream ?owing with some rapidity, its only beauty. From thence we went to Coalbrookdale to sleep. There is the first iron bridge that was constructed; it is more curious from its novelty and use than beautiful. I deprecate their becoming general, as they are far inferior in point of beauty to those Of stone the dull black of the iron assorts ill with limpid streams and verdant banks, whereas on the contrary nothing can Offer a more beauti ful object than a stone bridge Of well-turned arches. The inhabitants are chie?y quakers. During the Ameri can war they were Offered a high gratification if they would cast cannon; they replied that they worked for the benefit Of mankind, and not for their destruction, and peremptorily refused. It is an increasing place.
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