Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-04-21
LEWISBURG UNION COUNTY, PENN, FRIDAY APRIL q, 1854

sent events in the life of St. Parl-his
conversion, the judgment of Elymas, the
conversion of the jailor, preaching before
the Athenians, the Ephesians burning
their magical books, his defence before
Agrippa, and his shipwreck near Melita.
After service we were conducted through
the buiding-up to the bell, and down to
the vaults. On the Golden Gallery, when
weather is fine and the day clear, there Is
fine view of the city lu. these requisites,
believe, do not often occur in London, at
least did not have them, as the smoke
and fog we're SO thick tha. l could hardly
see twenty feet beyond me. l shall re-
serve describing the Geometrical Stairs,
Whispering Gallery, Library, &c, for an
other letter. A word, however, in regard
to the Monumental Sculptures. They are
erected in honor Of some Of Eng!and's 5
greatest men, and are generally classic and
elegant, although the one to Genl Ross
has slight error in the inscription, as 1t
states that he fell in a successful attack
upon the American lines at Baltimore. In
the vaults lie the bones of Nelson and
West, and host of distinguished painters.
Requiescat in pace.
The next place We visited, was West
minister Abbey. 1t has more attractions
for me than any other place in London,
and l can say less about it. So many as
sociations are connected with its monu-
ments, that | forgot Englands gratitude
iu England's history. Here her king.
were crowned, and here for many genera
tions they were buried. The Poets Cor
ner is one of the most interesting spots in
the Abbey. But l must leave you to
Washington Irving, Or Addison's descrip-
ton of this venerable building, for further
information. Providence permitting, l
shall visit it again, and while away an
hour or more in Henry the Seventies
Chapel and the Poets Corner
One more place, intimately connected
with the history Of England from the time
Of the Norman conqueror, shall mention,
and have done with London for the pre-
sent. 1t is the Tower, whose gray turrets
can not fail to arrest the attention Of the
most careless voyager on the Thames. Its
10 age the Beautiful and Inhoccht, the wise
and brave, have passed, never to return,
must impress the beholder with some tran
sieut touch of human feeling. In the long
line of victims-victims of policy or private
hate-two illustrious figures stand emin-
emily prominent among the crowd of sgd
neys, Howards and Plantagenets, both
Queens, mother and child-Auna Boleyn
and her daughter Elizabeth. Their shad-
ows have fallen athwart yon wall-their
feet have pressed yon s,airs-and that
gloomy archway has covered their heads.
Hear the tyrant's wife as she knecls on
the cold stair and humbly prays that God
would help her, "as SIZE was not guilty Of
the thing of which she stood accused; and
his naughty daughter, proud Of her race
and prouder of her innocence sprung upon
the step with the air Of a couqueror, saying,
d" Here lambeth as true subject, being a
prisoner, as ever landed at these stairs, and
before thee, y God! l speak IT, These
are but individuals, selected from out the
grand procession. The youthful, lovely
and learned Lady Jane Grey passed beneath
that arch-Catherine Howard and Rus
sci, Bacon and leicester and Essex and
More and Southampton, (Shakspeare's
Southampton and Henry Vane, (Milton's
Vane) and Straftord and Monmouth, names
in which nations history is expressed.
History and romance have united in
making this ancient pile, one of the mSst
interesting to the Englishman and his de-
scendants 1t stands monument of tumul-
tuous times and uncontrolled passions in
the midst of modern dwcllings-surround-
ed by the refinement and civilization Of
modern life. Whilst regarding its hoary
walls, the mind instantly rolls the wheel of
time centuries back, when the conquering
Northman, trampling upon Saxon rights
-dcluging the land in Saxon blood, reared
this "Zwing Uri' to protect his iron rule
and awe into submission that liberty-loyIng
race. From his time until that of Charles
II. it was a royal palace, having been
strengthened from time to time by addi-
tional walls and towers. entered its pre-
cincts with singular emotions, but was
suddenly made aware Of my existing in the
nineteenth century, by demand upon my
purse for a shilling This having been
satisfactorily arranged, l was shown into
the waiting room, to be conducted by the
warden at the proper time. a number OF
persons were in waiting, among them were
two who particularly attracted my atten-
ton. The one middle aged man, the
other in the prime of life. The elder seemed
familiarly acquainted with every spot in
London. He talked much and all listened.
.l.,