Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-04-29
From the Emory BaRncr.
Westminster Abbey.
BY LIE ROY.


In pas: ing through the sacred isles
of Westminisier, the Observers atten-
| ton is frequently CALLED to vaults
highly adorned with fretted walls and
artistic skill, or some Singular. ocea-
sionly uncouth, representation.
( This method is often resorted to By
( the friends Of those who have held
some Office Of distinction that won
them place by the side of genius
intellect in the great empire of the
dead. Hoping. by this means to do
for them what they failed by their
lives to accomplish. But their efforts
are futile. Hundreds of names, now,
almost obliterated by age, and OBJ
scured with rust, fail to recall any
part of the life of him whom it was in
tended 10 represent.
His deeds or whatever he claimed
TO render him illustrious, were once
written in histories pages, but long
ago they have become mouldy, faded
and forgotten. And, now, their
names are scarcely remembered
But those who have written their
names on the tablets Of the worlds
heart, by some lasting works, will
never die. Time may destroy
/ their written histories and crumble to
! dust their monuments, yet it can not
destroy their names. Need there be
monument to tell of Luther? every
church becomes nue sacred to his
memory. Why write beautiful in
scriptions and lasting effigies on the
tombstones of Wilbcrforce and pea
body? They have long since iLdeli-
| bly, inscribed them on the hearts of
! the poor; written them on the doors
/ of all the colleges and seminaries of
learning III Our land. They will new
err be forgotten.
Royalty sleeps on every side now
we pass the stall bearing the me OF
some renowned family in history; now
some deSpotic King, into whose pres
cnce We dared not approach, while he
lived, but now he is made equal with
those whom he once scOrned. This
equality Of all grades of royalty, Is
forcibly impressed upon us. when We
come to the graves of Queen Eliza
beth of England. ard Mary of Scots
Now it is that, Mary is a.enged OF
her wrongs. For all who are in the
least acquainted with the history of
her sufIeringS; the wrongs done her 6,
she'd the tears of pity on her tomb
and at the same time turn and trOwn
upon that of her jealous rival. Not
an hour in the Gay but some ejacula-
tion of pity is uttered over the fate of
the lovely, unfortunate Mary, mingled
with Indignation at her Oppressor.
The walls of Elizabeth's sepulchcr
continually echo with the signs Of
sympathy heaved at the grave of her
rival.
Let us hasten TO the spot, in this
city of the dead, sacred to every
heart. This spot is the Poets Cor
ner" Here are the ashes of the
| greatest, wisest and best of the liter
att of the world. No striking designs
of the artist are seen here. The
names of all the Industrious poets.
with the exception of two. are engrav-
en- on broadstone in plain characters.
Their tombs are daily believed with
the tear of regret and decked with
wrcathes of imfnortelles Does any
one wonder at this mark of difference,
let him stop, and for moment read
the names on the states around him
lii one group-Oh. what a sacred
spot; we see the names and tombs OF
/ Handel. Sheridan, Richard Cumbcr
land and the great historian, McCau
ley. Here too are the statues OF
Addison and Thackcray locking
down upon the tomb of the
world renowned noveleSts, Charles
Dickens, DIR. johnson and Garrick.
Shakespeare and Southey. John DRYDEN
and the noble John Milton and host
of other worthless. leach Of them the
glory of English literature" are all
| here together.
Is it asked, why not raise pompous
monuments and render their graves
attractive by sculpturaI beauty? The
answer is, They do not need them.-
/ 1t is true their lives were spent amid
! the secluded hauntS Of libraries, pour
/ inc o,cr their Anticipated books, yet
they have won for themselves more
lasting honors than the warrior. prcl
ate or statesman. While the subject
of history, the hero of thousand
battle fields fields. Will be forgotten.
as their history becomes autiGuated.
the works OF the poet and historian
will ever serve to perpetuate their
glory and fame, for they have left
posterity and inheritance, mot Of
empty names and sounding actions,
but of wisdom, bright gems of thought
and golden veins OF language.
Emory and Henry College,
April, 2lst, 1873.