Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-11-20
Wss.min,,.sr Abbev

old Abbey. Its antiquity, its architecture,
its memories, its monuments, all combine
togve it interest. Its beginnings are lost
In the dim legends of the 9th century; the
artistic taste Of different ages is molly rep
resented in its structure and ornaments;
and its marble records epitomize the history
VI England. Here Harold und William the
Cunqueror were crowned, and every sue
ceedlng sovereign TO the present time
Here is the Coronation Chair, made by or
der Of Edward l., and in it,, the celebrated
Scone Stone, Of Legendary fame which had
been for ages the coronation seat Of the
Scottish, Kings. Its companion chair was
mnde for the coronation of Mary, Queen Of
WIlliom 81 Here have been buried and
crumbed into dust, Kings and Queens,
Warriors and Statesman, Orators and Po-
cts, Artists and Philosophers, whose busy
lives entered largely into the chronicles OF
many centuries, bat whose diIIerents paths
led all OF them TO the grave. when we
read the dates" says Addison, "of the tolnbs
OF some that died yesterday, and some six
hundred years ago, we cannot help consid-
sring thut great day, when we shall all Of
Us be contemporaries, and make our appear
ance before one awful Judge together, -
Yet, another lesson, subordinate Of course
TO this, always impressed itself upon our
mind as we wandered through the aises
and chapels of the Abbey. 1t was lesson
ct admiration at the power Of humln genius.
Man is mortal; but he bridges the centuries,
even by his material works, and marble i'm
ages bear up his nJme 10 distant generations.
Even in this world, his immoral nature
struggles glorinusly 10 rerpctuate itself.
The Abbey stands opposite the new Par
lament Houses, near the river. You ap-
proach it conveniently by Whitehall, pass
ing thus the Admiralty and Horseguards,
the Old banquelinC house in front Of which
Charles lSt was beheaded, the Treasury
and Downing street, new Palace Yard and
Westminster Hall. ST. MargWet's Church
prevents full view Of it; but YOU see lis
towers above the church, and lis grey walls
reveal themselves a, intervals, beyond
Time-wnrn and venerable they seem rs YOU
get near them, and your thoughts begin 10
travel backwards, before YOU have entered
the building. The usual entrance is into
The South Trln>ept, or Poets Corner.--
Here large part of the interior is seen TO
good advantage. We have no space Tor
detailed account of il. or course, the gen.
eral plan Of tho church Is cruclorm; and ii
contains ten or twelve subdivisions called
chapels. Admission is free, except 10 the
choir and chape$ To see those YOU pay
sixpense 10 a guide. The extreme length
OF the building, on the interior, j. 2S3 feet;
including Henry 7th's Chapel, 5ll feet.
The height Of the nave is l0l feet Henry
the 7th's Chapel is the most beautiful as
we'll us the most recent of the whole mum.
Der. The gulde-book describes il as "a
wonder OF the world; such inirnitable per-
lection appears in every part Of the whole
composurc, which looks SO far exceeds hui
man excellence, that it appears knit togeth-
cr by the fingers OF angels pursuant TO the
direction OF Omupotence." Ii is situated
At the east end OF the Abbey, to which il is
30 neatly jpined, that on a superficial view,
1t appears to be one and the same building.
In hi. deliberately adorned chapel are
the brass tomb Of lis founder, and mugnii-
cent mDnnment to Mary, Queen Of Scots.
Here, too, is royal vault where were
placed the remains Of William and Mary,
ind Queca Anne. There is another royal
vault in the Nave, where George ID and
Queen C"rohne were buried. The modern
receptacle Of royal dust is at Windsor
The coronation chairs are in the Chapel Of
st. Edward, where are, also, some of the
most ancient monuments of the Abbey
The Chapels OF St. John and St. Andrew,
and ST. Michael, have been thrown togeth.
er, and contain several monuments of elab.
crate workmanship. Among these is ore
10 the msmory OF of Joseph Gascoigne
Nightingale and lls lady. "The body is
represented expiring in the arms Of her
husband; beneath figure Of Death appears
creeping from tomb, and pointing his un-
erring dart ut the dying figure, while the
husband, in despair, seems to clasp her TO
his bosom, 10 defend her from the fatal
stroke"
Whntever may be thought of the design,
the workmanship of Ronbiliac, by whom it
was executed, cannot lnil to attract atten-
ton. Not far from this, is full-iength
statute OF Mrs. Siddons, as Lady Macbeth
in the Night Scene. Cannings monument
is in the North Transept. So are Lord
Man>iield's AID the Earl Of ChalhOm's s.
Admiral Vernon, and Warren Hastings, and
John Kemble, the Actor are also remember
Thomas Powell Buxton, VIM. Wilberloree,
Isaac Newton, and Spencer Perceval, who
was shot by BelIingham, within the walls
of the House Of Commons, in 1872. AT
the west end Of the Nave are monuments TO
Fox and Pit. In the south aisle is mon
umenl to Major Andre, erected by George
Ill. In its PANEL are several projecting
figures, one OF which is represented as pre-.
scnting TO General Washington Andres let
Ter requesting TO he shot and not TO be hanged.
The head OF General Washington has been
twice removed, whsther from love TO him
or 10 Andre, or from mere curiosity, we
leave our readers To judge for themselves
The Poets Corner is full of memorials TO
familiar names. That OF the poet Gay bears
this trihing epitaph' written by himself:
Life is Jest, and all things show it;
thought 50 once, but now know il.
Rauhilac's monument TO Handel is one
Of the finest here. Joseph Adams is repre-