The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-28
WESTMINSTER ABBEY"


Lecture In Associasion Hail BY the Rev.
Canon Ktngsloy, OF Westmfnstcr
AbDey-A Crowded Audfe nDe-The Sub
ject rs Applied TO America. a4
A large audience assembled IN Association Hall
last evening to hear the Rev. Charles Kingsley.
Canon OF Westminster. deliver his lecture on
"Westminster Abbey.u At fifteen minutes to
eight O'Clock q large number Of persons had
already taken their seats in the hail, and from
that time until shortly after eight O'Clock, when
the lecture commenced, the sIaircases were
blocked with ladies' and gentlemen, all
crushing slowly up to the landing, fearful
lest the hall was ALREADY full and no seats were 10
be mad. Ushers moved ABOUT nimbiy inside, seat
ing the new corners as they gained admission, and
when the time Tor the lecturer to appear had
passed quite an animated scene was Witnessed IN
the eager endeavOr OF the latest arrivals to find
seat anywhere as pest they could. Meanwhile
the organ was making pleasant music and
was closing sprtghtly selection when Canon
Kingsley, preceded by the President OF the Mer-
camille Library and the Rev. DR.. Potter, took Q
seat In the centre of the platform. The canon Is
scholastic, cIercal-looxing gentleman, with the
customary English side whlskers and clean shaven
face, wearing glasses and having his whisKers
many degrees more silvered than his hair. He
wore the usual canonical coat and waistcOat, the
latter being closely butt0ned up to the throat
The Rev. DR.. Potter, on being invited TO preside,
made few brief remarks In introducing the rev.
erend lecturer. He believed that his office was
supernuous, Tor he was to Introduce friend to all
of them, and not stranger. The name and lame
OF Charles Kingsley were known everywhere from
Cape Breton to California. How many minds had
he not klndled by his writings ana how well he
taught all OF us, In Yeast" and "Alton Locke" the
feelings OF true brotherhood and exalted life.
Rev. Mr.. Kingsley then began his lecture by say
ing atreverence Tor antiquity had long been, in
his Judgment, q lair test OF vigor OF youth. Re-
verseiy, insoence by youth tow&rd old age Is a sign
OF decay; for tue young and vigorous have strong
regard lor the aged, aud this temper usually ac-
racehOrse emulates the sire, the young soldier
admires the veteran hero. the politician
races es that that succeeded 40 best. ' were the
most teachaDle, provided they were LETT
Tor Egypt. the Scandnavians for Rome, and these
were the most progressive races OF Europe. Those
Americans wnom he had met IN England, as well well
reverence 1Or antiquity, no matter how much I'M
pressed with se-teachihg. THIS blending OF the
prlsed to find that American visitors to Europe,
Immediately on their rival at Liverpool would
to some of them:-sAt Chester you win
see comparatively nothing. Wait until you see
the British Museum with its wonderful stores OF
curtOSites; wait uutll you see the French cathe-
drals and the ruins or Provence and the galleries
OF Florence Naples and Rome" fhe reply to this
should desire to see Chester, for they had never
seen anything that might De classed among tine
sentiment wen directed and by sorrow well used
DO the nations live. When this dies out then comes
decrepitu g. With this experience OF his at Chester
ne was not surprised to fad tue same experience
repeated at Westminster. He might be reprOved
for saying tnat there were greater pleasures than
were to be found IN the pantheon OF Westminster;
but 1t would be thus as long as Westminster bore
its $40 years OF richness. The American muse
knows the nature Of such architecture, Tor Ameri
can architects were raising pure medieval and
Byzantine structures, combining the beau
ties
pen flowed as smoothly as Charles Lambs,
and who was more generous to US than only too
fdl description of the impression the abbey made
upon him. 1t had a sad tone In 1t, however, In
ng saw it. ABBEY Vas no DOUBT
In q dIlapldated condition, and he might well
speak OF the dust but then the English people
had been setting about improvements, and to-
day one might enter the asles or the ciOlsters
and he was sure OF the sound OF the mechanics
hammer somewhere in restoring and making
brighter. The English people have lelt, In common
with al Europe. a reverence iOr the MEDIEVAL art,
and now the highest ambition . to copy and iml-
ws saS and Uer
signihcation Of the old schools, IN dong
which. In England and In France. we often
OF painted stone or marble bust for they are not
the evidence OF vanity. They speak OF content
their nations thanks. and often after death more
than they received while living. Even Castle
resgh lies here in spite OF shelley and Byron There
the most horrible death. There, too. are
There is no strife between any Of them now. On
the south side of Henry Wills chapel is the ehigy
all ENGLAND and scotland a.
other. On the north side lies sadder ngure still
that of Elizaheth-and her tomb lies there, oppo-
she herself was killed by the other. Coffin over
cOnin, they lie 10 the vault James l. put these
lines over the vault
Fellows in the Kingdom of the Tomb,
Elizabeth and Nary, sisters
The lecturer then went on to speak OF the archi-
lecture Of Westminster Abbey, saying that 1t was
not like that OF Salisbury or Lltchned. having
nothing OF delicate ilghtness or airy joy1uness.
He compared it TO forest OF stone, carrying out
the smile by an eloquent passage, and then going
on to say that IN London, behind the murky atmos-
cOlorlng and the architects gave 1t stained
glass windows to make 1t cheerful, with
S@rss Of the angels and saints OF heaven and
with memories OF heroic virtues all OF which in their
beautiful lights aud shades would lift up the hearts
OF men amid summer OF beauty and OF light.
The lecturer closed by telling OF WOlie's cenOtaph,
introducing the connection between the mother
during the war of the early settlement. in
saving the States from Spain aud France,
fought for America as well as for England. He
trusted that the ashes OF some OF the great men
OF this country would rest In Westminster Tor the
abbey was as much the property OF Americans as
OF Engshmen. 1t was not the mausoleum OF
kings; it was the resting place OF great men In
every branch OF progress, no matter what was
their creed. AS Dean Stanley said, that was its
greatest boast The lecturer intermxed In this
part OF his lecture some lanciul thoughts
about POETS Corner. He wanted to bury
In the abbey only the genuine Londoners
Chaucer Spencer and DRYDEN should not have
been buried there. They should have gone to
spots where their hearts wished in life that their
bodies should rest In DEATH Pope and Gray went
away to places they had chosen, and so should the
others.
Rev. Mr.. Kingsley will deliver second lecture
under the auspices OF the Mercantile Library IN As
ISOLATION Hall, on Monday evening, and on Wednes-
day evening next In the Academy OF Music, Brook
yn, he will lecture on 1.-THE Norsemen In History
and as DISCOVERIES IN America"