The Portland daily press., 1870-07-01

PORTLAND
Friday Morning, July l. 1870.
Funeral of MIR. Charlie. Dickens.

[From the London Times. 15th,l
The wish OF the people of England has pre-
vailed, and Charles Dickens rests in the Alb
hey Church of st. Peter at Westminster. Our
readers will learn with surprise and satisfac-
tion that the funeral of the great novelist was
celebrated at an early hour yesterday morn
ing in Poet's-corner, with as much privacy as
could have been secured for it in any little
village church in Kent, or even in Wales or
Cornwall. A grave had been dug during the
night, and we believe that We are right in as
sertlng that, besides the Dean and the Ca
mons, hardly member of the Cathedral body
on Monday evening was aware of the intend
ed arrangement. 1t appears that some days
ago the Dean sent communication to the
family of Mr.. Dickens TO the effect that, If it
was desired by themselves or by the public
that he should be buried in the Abbey. he
would do all in his power to facilitate the ar
rangements; and also that on Monday, sug-
gestng that the Abbey was the fitting rest
ing-pace Tor such man, he repeated the
offer in terms more distinct. Most fortunate
ly, it was found upon opening Mr.. Dickens
will that, although his instructions were ex-
plicit in orbiddmg all pomp and snow, and
all that "mCckery oil woe" which undertakers
are at such pains TO provide, he had named
no place of burial, and thereiore his executors
telt thai it wss omen to them to concur with
the national wish, it they could only insure
secrecy as to place and time. This was ar
ranged satisfactorily on Monday, and at an
early hour yesterday morning the body was
conveyed, almost before any one was stirring,
in a hearse from Gad's Hill to one OF the rail-
way stations of the London, Chatham and
linn urbo loI 7
don by a special tram, which reached the
Charing Cross station!punctually at o'clock.
In few minutes more the hearse, which was
plainness itself, was on its way down White
hall 10 the Abbey, followed by the mournir g
coaches, and we believe that not single per-
son OF the many scores who must have met
the gloomy cavalcade as it slowly paced along
was aware that that hearse was conveying to
its last resting place all that was mortal OF
Charles Dickens.
A few minutes before half-past nine the
hearse and mourning cOaches-the latter
three in numoer-entered Deans yard, aud
the body was carried through the cloisters TO
the door Of the nave, where it was met by the
Dean, the two CanOns in residence, Canon
jennings and Canon Nepean, and three of
the Minor CanOns. The choir were not Pres
ent, and indeed, for the most part, were una.
ware that grave had been opened in the Abb
hey, and that the sounds OF the burial SER
vice were about to be heard there once more,
more than half year having passed by since
the last tuneral-tbat OF MIR. Peabody. The
service was most impressvely read by the
Dean, all but the Lesson, which was read by
the Senior Canon. There was no anthem,
kO chanted psalm, no hymn, not even an in
toned response or "Amen;' but the organ
was played at intervals during that mourniul
ceremony. The earth was cast into the grave
fy the Clelk of the Works; the service ended
the mournprs-fourteen in number, with per-
haps as many more strangers who accidental
ly chanced to be present-gathered round the
grave to take'a last look at the c. fin which
held the great hovelist's remains, and to place
wreaths of immOrteltes and other flowers up,
on the coffin lid, and the service was at an
end.
The coffin was of plain but solid oak, and
it bore the plain and simple inscription
"Chares Dickens, born February Z, 1872; died
June 8, 1870" His grave, which is only be-
tween five and six feeet deep, is situated abou,
yard, or yard and half, from the south
ern wall OF POet's-corner; the spot was Sc
lected by the Dean from among the few va
cant spaces in that transept; and our readers
will hear with interest that all of Charles
Dickens that is mortal lies at the feet OF Han
del and at the head OF Sheridan, with Richard
Cumberland resting on his right hand and
Macauley on his left. His grave is near the
foot of Addisons statute; and Thackeray's
bust looks calmly down upon the grave of his
old friend; DR.. johnson and Garrick lie with
in few yards of him; and the busts ol
Shakespeare, Milton, and host OF Other
worthless, each of them the glory Of English
literature in their day, are but little further
off,
1t will be felt, no doubt, by all thoughtful
| persons thai although the executors o
Charles Dickens may have disappointed the
public by keeping the time and place of his
funeral TO the very last so strict secret, they
| have done the one thing which would have
been alike acceptable to the departed, and
which has satisfied the wishes OF the country
| at large.
Mr.. Dickens's two daughters, his sster-in-
law miss Hogarth). Charles Dickens, MI
| Wilkie Collins and Mr.. John Forster were
among those who followed his remains to th,
| tomb.
The grave, by direction of the Dean, wa
left open as long as tie Abbey was open yes
terday; and. as the news spread about Lon
don, many visitors went to Poets Corner dur
ing the afternoon to take last sad look a
the coffin of Charles Dickens; but it was I'LL
derstOod that the grave should be closed dun
ing the course OF last evening.
At 1oclock the bell OF Rochester Cathedra
was tolled for the deceased. A vault ha
been prepared in st. Mary's Chapel, Rocheste
| Cathedfal-a beautiful chapel near the er
trance to the choir, restored few years sine
-ior the interment OF the deceased and
vault was rapidly constructed. Yesterda
a number OF men were engaged IN filling u
the vault with earth, aud restoring the pave
ment, while the bell was tolling for tn
funeral.