YOUNG'S "NARCISSA."
(Vol. iii., p. 422.)
The inquiry by J. M. relative to the authority possessed by the letter quoted from the Evangelical Magazine for Nov. 1797, may be fairly answered by a reference to the letter in the magazine alluded to.
It is appended as a note to a "Memoir of the late Mr. Mouncher of Southampton, written by the Rev. Mr. Kingsbury." The letter itself was written from Montpellier in 1789, by Mr. Walter Taylor to his sister Mrs. Mouncher; and, from the position of all those parties, would appear to be deserving of credit as far as it goes.
It shows that Mr. W. Taylor, and others, conversed with the gardener of the "King's Garden;" and from him (son of the former gardener) heard that about forty-five years before Dr. Young had bribed the then under-gardener to allow him to bury "Narcissa," and would thus prove that the tradition existed at that time at Montpellier.
There is also in a retired part of the Botanic Garden (established by Henry IV.) a stone bearing an inscription to "Narcissa," as mentioned in Murray's Hand-Book, placed there probably in consequence of that tradition. Moreover, it is believed, in the family of a gentleman of Montpellier, that his maternal grandfather saw Dr. Young and his step-daughter at Montpellier about the year 1741; that the lady died there, and was buried, as is stated, in the garden; that however it was not Mrs. Temple, but a younger sister of hers.
It appears from records in this country, that Lady Elizabeth Lee, by her first marriage, had one son and two daughters. The son was buried at St. Mary's-le-Strand in 1743; the elder daughter married Henry Temple, son of Viscount Palmerston, and it appears died in France (perhaps at Lyons) in 1736; the younger, Caroline, married Captain, afterwards General Haviland, and died without issue. The General died at Penn in Buckinghamshire in 1784; but no record relating to his first wife, Miss Caroline Lee, is to be found there.
Such record, if found in any parish in England, would greatly tend to decide the question. Possibly some correspondent may be in a position to ascertain whether such record exists.
Lady Elizabeth had by her marriage with Dr. Young, a son only; it could not, therefore, be a daughter of Young's who died at Montpellier.
D. S.