The Portland daily press., 1869-11-27
DAILY PRESS.
ND
Saturday Morning, November 27, 1869.
The Funeral of Geo. Peabody in West
minister abbey.

The Funeral Of Geo. Peabody in West.
minister abbey.
From The London News of Nov. 12.l
Before the departure of the
| funeral procession very considerable number
| of persons assembled in front of Sir Curtis
Lampson's residence, No. 80 Eaton square
where Mr.. Peabody died, and there was still
larger mus. er at the western entrance to the
Abbey. The funeral cortege was OF the mos
unOstentatious character. The hearse, which
| was drawn by four horses, was followed by
five mourning coaches, occupied by the mourn
ers, and to these succeeded long 'ine of car
| riages, including those Of her Majesty the
Queen, the Prince of Wales, the Lord Mayor,
the Sherffs and under Sheriffs, Sir c. Lamp
son, Mr.. Charles Reed, NJ p, Miss Burdett
Coutts, the American Minister, Lady Frank
| lin, the Duchess of Somerset, &c. There was
no great gathering of people in the streets,
but as the mournlul procession passed along
| it was everywhere greeted with silent express
ions OF respect and regret. The blinds OF all
the houses in Eaton square were drawn down,
the windows of Buckingham Palace were sim
ilarly veiled, and lew househOlders along the
line of road failed to pay this mark of respect
to the illustrious dead.
w ltIlu Cne AUUey luc SCcuc Wdo ulOoI lni-
presslve and imposing. Almost every part OF
the sacred edifice was filled with spectators
| it would hardly be too much to say, with
mourners-lades and gentleman alike were
| clad in sable, and the effect produced was both
! remarkable and solemn. Nor was the color
the only thing which distinguished this from
ordinary gatherrngs-from ordinary gather
ipgs in churches Every one seemed to be
under the influence of the occasion; there
was neither whispering nor tittering, nor that
uneasy shifting from place to place which is
sometimes observable, but just quiet hush
and silence as though even the most thought
less and frivolous, ii any such were there,
were for once awed into silence and decorum.
| The seats of the choir were draped with
black cloth, and the space between the stalls
was covered with black carpet; the pulpit
and reading desk were hung with black, and
beneath the lantern there was p aced bier
covered with black velvet, relieved by white
border, on either side of which seats were re-
served for the mourners. The sacrarium was
enclosed b, barriers of black cloth, and only
few highly privileged spectators were admit
ted to seats within its area. Before the doors
of the Abbey were opened many persons
were waiting for admission, and although
there was little crewding aud no confusion at
the entrances. very soon every seat in nave
and choir and transept was occupied, a very
considerable proportion OF them being ladies.
Soon after twelvejo'clock the Lord Mayor
and Sheriffs arrived, clad in their scarlet
gowns, and, accompanied by the Under
Sheriffs in plain black, at once proceeded to
the seats reserved tor them in the sacrarium.
Lord Clarendon, Secretary Of State Tor For
eign Affairs, General Gray and Mr.. Helps,
representing her Majesty, had anticipated
their arrival and were already seated, and not
long afterwards Mr. Gladstone passed quickly
through the nave and took his place by the
Earl Neither the Premier nor any other
member Of the government was in official
costume.
All wore plain morning dress, and all, like
the rest of the spectators, carried some mark
OF mourning In the early part Of the day
the sky was cloudy and the air heavy with
mist, but about one o'clock the sun, bursting
through the jealous screen, illuminated. all
the upper part OF the Abbey, and through
the stained glass of the lower windows she
subdued light upon arch, and pillar, and
monument, upon the open stalls and the
heavy draped pulpit, upon the expectant con-
greeation and the solemn bier.
The coffin was met at the entrance to the
church by the Rev. Lord John Thyme,
the sub-dean; the Rev. Canon Nepean, Arch
deacon JENNINGS and the members Of the
choir, and was followed by the mourners.
In this order the procession passed up the
nave, which was carpeted with black cloth,
between double row Of respectful specta-
| tors. who maintained most impressive 81
lence, but most of whom indicated by moist
| eyelids or melancholy looks the interest which
| they felt in the ceremony of which they were
witnesses Very soon the voices of choristers
| were heard in the choir; and as the leading
boys appeared inside the screen, every one
| rose from their seats to do honor-such hon
or as was still possiUle-to the remains of the
| great man whom they had come 10 honor
| slowly, very slowly, passed the mourniul pro-
cession. Choristers and choir boys filed of
| on either hand. still singing as they went
those melodious but melancholy strains which
are halt pleasure and half pain; pleasant fol
the assurances which they suggest, and pain
| full to some how paihful-for the memories
which they arouse. An undeataker's maj
staggered along under a load of feather
which might well have been left outside, an,
then came the coffin, borne upon the shoul
| ders of eight bearers. 1t was covered with
| ric black velvet pail and on the top rested
large cross formed of white camelias. 1t wa
at once placed upon the fier, the mourner
| took their places on the seats on either hand
| and the funeral service was proceeded with.
Then the procession was reformed, and the
| coffin with its sacred contents was borne
through the choir and down the nave to the
| grave.
| Now the sub dean and the members of the
choir followed instead OF preceding the coffin
and the mourners were Joined by the Prime
Minister, Lord Clarendon, Genera. Grey, Mr.
Helps, the Lord Mayor and the Sherifs ant
Under Sheriffs. Many more Of the occupant
OF the choir would have been glad to accom-
pany the sad procession, but when those who
had right to be present at the graveside hat
passed, the gates in the screen were CLOSED
and no others were allowed to pass. The
grave had been prepared in the middle OF the
nave, not far from the west door, and almost
in line with the stained glass window which
commentaries the genius of the great en-
gineer Brunel. For some space around black
cloth had been spread upon the hard, colo
stones, and the entrance to the tomb itsel
was surrounded by slightly elevated estrade
upon which the coffin was placed. Sir Z
Lampson, Mr.. c. Reed and Mr.. Motley tool
their places at the head OF the grave, the Lord
Mayor and Sheriffs-whose scarlet gowns pre-
sented singular contrast to the sad-coloret
garments OF all around them, and the white
surplices of the choristers, who occupied a
platform behind them-were on its nolth side
and Mr.. Gladstone and Lord Clarendon stood
together between these two groups and close
to the reading desk prepared tor the sub-dean
The portions OF the burial service appoint ed
to be read at the grave side were delivered
| ny Tue hcN. AOru u. Auyulic VIII dpptopIIdts
and touching emphasis, and the musical pieces
we're admirably performed by the choir. The!
were "Thou knowest, Loid," (Croit,) :" Ii
the midst of Life" (Purcell,) and 81 heard
voice from heaven" (Croit.) When the Sub
Dean reached those impressive and crue
seeming words, earth to earth, ashes to ash
es, dust to dust" handful Of mould wa
thrown into the grave and ratified upon tn
cloth-covered lid of the coffin and the silve
nails which adorned it, with that terrible bu
indescribable sound which they who hay
once heard can never forget, and which but 70
the reassuring words which follow would seer
to t,piiy the shutting out OF all hope Of futuI
reunion between the living and the dead. TIL
finale was from Hand.l-
His body was buried Ia peace,
| But his name iveth evermore.
When this had been sung by the choir IL
Sub Dean pronounced the benediction, an
then, SO iar as England 10 concerned. the fl
neral of George Peabody-a name destined I
rank with the noblest of the worlds beneia
tors-was at an end. Not hastily or willing
however, did the mourners leave the So
which held all that remained OF thaF depar
ed friend. While the organ gave out the so
emn strains of the Dead March in Saul, on
after another advanced to the end Of th
Grave and gazed mournfully upon the cross
white camelas and the bright coffin plat
which told how within that narrow chest la
all that was OF George Peabody.
From the Turf, Field and Farm.l
What Horses Bring.