Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1871-07-28
LONDON, june Z. 1871.

South of Eng land-OH
! for Germany.
LONDON, June 7, 1871.
UY Dear ISirs There are so many OBJ
jects of interest to be visited by the stran-
ger in this great city, that it is my purp Use
in this short letter to mention bus a few of
the principal sights, without entering upon
q full description, the detail OF which
would far exceed the time and space inten-
ded. Westminster Abbey, the shrine of
the ashes Of Great Britain's most illustri-
Gus dead, was the first place to attract us.
The erection of this ancient pile is dated
as far back as the reign of King Sebert,
between the years Goa and GIG, but having
been partially or totally destroyed by the
Danes 10 the timesof Alfred, was rebuilt by
Edgar, and afterwards improved by Ed
ward, the Confessor. The Western tow
ers and one or two chapels were finally
erected by tho celebrated architect, Sir
Christopher Wren. Within the chapels
rest the remains Of thirteen Kings and
Queens of England. but it is OF the South
Transept or Poets Corner, that We desire
particularly to note. Passing the monu-
|
a fac figure OF Addison on a cir
cular base, around which are small
figures representing the nine muses.. There
Is also a lengthy Latin inscription com
memorating his genius and bis virtues,
| closing thus: ''He died in the Ash year of
his age, the honor and delight Of the
British nation Quite near to the mon.
ument of Addison lies the body of Lord
MacAuley, and farther on we See most
magnificent marble statue of the great
| musician, George Frederick Handel. The
| conception of this monnmen5 ruck US as
very beautiful. The figure Of Handel is
represented in the ac5 of listening to the
| harp OF an angel playing i'll the clouds
above his head before the angel Is placed
the cee DRAFTED composition Messiah, with
the the part Il know that my Redeemer
ltveth open" The next elaborate monu-
ment which strikes the attention, is that
IF an hone 81 man, a constant friend, John.
the great Duke of Argyle; "a General and
Orator. exceIled by mono in the age he
lived. " Farther on, and above the door
OF one of the chapels, is monument TO
| the memory of Oliver Goldsmith, with C.
long Latin inscription, in part insimating
III It "tne love and fidelity OF his friends
and associates had raised this monument
to his memory and now we come to a
plain marble slab in the floor, cover
ing the precious dust of one
whom we had mourned for as for a
dear friend, and who has, by his beautiful
and touchlI 6 stories Of real life, won the
hearts of so many within the past few
! years. The slab bears the following in
s-ription in plain gilt letters
CHARLES DICKENS,
Born Feb. 7, 1919. Died June 8, 1870.
aud near his grave are the ashes of Saml
johnson, Sheridan, Garrick, Macaulay,
Handel and Cumberland.
a Lgaving this group. we met with monu-
| ment erected to the memory of JoE n Gay,
with a short epitaph ON the front, written
by himself, which CRATES harshly upon it
, after the melancholy reflections through
which we have just passed. 1t reads:
Life is jest, and all things show it,
: Thought so once. but now know it,"
and it occurred to us once at the time that
y poor Gay would infinitely prefer the
: ''jest" to the present reality. Be-
y low the lines above quoted are
q soma very pretty verses by Pope, who
was very friendly with Gay. Many other
:, tributes of grateful nation to the memo
= ~ of great men are around Us, and well
y merit more Lengthy notice. Among them
are monuments 10 James Thomson, author
. of the Seasons" Thomas Campbell, with
whom is always associated that beautiful
. poem, "The Pleasures of Hope )" Samuel
Butler, the author of "Hudibras." The
insctiption on his tomb intimates that 1t
Q was erected by the Lord Mayor; "that he
= who was destitute when alive, might not
), want monument when dead" There Is
8 a beautiful testimonial in fine white mar
Q BILE. neatly ornamented, to the memory of
: Ben johnson, who lies buried here, with
t the inscription, 80 Rare Ben johnson, "
and alec a fine statue over the remains of
John Milton near by. After wandering
> through different chapels and the cloiSters,
: wa came to the chapel of Henry VII, in
; which repose the ashes. of Mary Queen OF
SCOTS, over which has b en- erected by her
= son, James I, most beautiful monument
= in the form of a casket, upon which
, lies marble figure OF the poor
unfortunate Queen, said to be marve-
ions likeness of the original. Mary Stuart
was beheaded in Fotheringay CASTLE, and
her BODY buried in Peterborough Cathe-
q dral. but it was afterwards privately re-
!. moved to Westminster by order OF the
: King. en- .,.,tux
s the west door is very fne-the whole
= building is then open to the eye, and the
8 mind of every behOlder, it has been Justly
: said. cannot but be filled with ave and
admiration at the grand solemnlty OF the
place. =:
From the Abbey we walked short dis
d lance to the now Houses Of ParlIaments
which are situated upoA In0 49, ~
l. and which strike the beholder at onca
J, with the beauty and symmetry OF the arc6a
n te cture. This building which is called the
Q Palace of Westminster, has been entirely APP
l. propriated to the use of the House OF LORDS
@ and House Of Commons. both OF which
were IN session at the time of our VISIT:
The entire length of the river front is 94O
70 feet, and there a fine paved terrace over
70 looking the water 700 feet long and 33 feet
a wide. The finest view of the outside, we
q thought, was from the Thames embank-
se ment-a beautifully paved boulevard OF
n esplanade extending for miles along the
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