Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1875-04-22
TRIP TO EUROPE.
By John s. BENDER, ESQ.
Letter No. II.

| estminster AbDcy out as the most pro-
found literary men Of modern ages have
written Cf its associations, poets sang hs
praises, and orators of no ordinary power
for the last eight centuries have gained
lheil highest inspiration from their obser.
vations within these walls, | inay well
ask myself the question: How dare ]
walk in the footsteps of these ancien,
worthless, much less undertake TO de
sciibe what they were 10th to do?
| Westminster Abbey was first erected
by king Sebert on "Thorny Island" a
spot overgrown with ihorns, west of Lon.
don. in the year 4. d. GIG; and from It's
locality on the river Thames as well rs It's
direction from the city, it was called
ST ta1ls or what Was then called East
monastery Or Eastminster As the pop
ulation increased SO as Ia form two sepa-
rate towns around these monesteries the
names gradually became constructed To
West and Eas' minister, which ancient
towns form two of In. mos; .crcsiins
parts of London. at the rrescnI time
The e aie few persons VII visit London
| that don't 30 Ia see Westminster Abbey.
Indeed lis great antiquity. ,ogelhe with
| its associations with she distinguished
nan.es recorded there, and the ilustrious
persons buried there. render il the most
solemn and interesting m"nument Of an
cicnt and modern times. II is the pride
| of England. and Great Britain claims il
as the monument of her powcr
Its intimate connection with the histo-
~ of the world for the last eight centu-
ries. gives il cliarsf ter above all other
institutions. am not inclined To give
England oil the right, title, and claim to
this reuowns building. 1t is true that
Milton. Dryden, Shakespeare. Watts, and
other distinguished Poets who contrib-
ute much To the s"lcmniiy. grandeur,
and hi~iricu Roioricty of Poets Corner
and that these men As well as their preci
Gus inemorIes we're Engfshmen; but
xIscn We reflect that their works are
world aide. that their poetry is sang
IS here~er christianity has dawned. THAI
the production of Shakespeare is sought
i,y the civilized world. ii vii not be con-
cedc1 that England is entitled. la an in
icieasihle right Ia ali their glory
Westminster Abbey, with its memories
and associations, is the pride OF the
world.
The first church erected on this spot
WAS by King Sebert. in the year A. ID
6i6. This Was afterwards destroyed, and
llc next edifice of stone was erected BY
Edward The Confcssur, in the years A.
d. lO55 aud 1865. The Pyx house, no
iect long, is all that now IcDains of this
structure. Henry the Ill. in 1920, built
the principal part ol the present existing
Abbey.
The west front and its great window,
were the works of Richard the Ill. and
Henry the VII. which completed the Alb
hey, as it now stands. excepting the two
western towers, which was the work of
sir Christopher Wren. Ii will be seen,
from this. That it was over 200 years in
its completion. So aniiqnated and per.
maneut has this Institution become, that
it almost appears TO be a part of the
works OF creation. More than four Gen.
tures ago It Was visited by men for the
same Ins Iiraiiou that it is tn day. 1t was
AN old Abbey then, it is NO more to-day
Ii is true that i'm the last 800 years many
new vaults have become the receptacles of
iilusiiious dead, many new names in
solemn epitalphs are inscribed upon its
walls, which add TO the awe-inspiring
power; but its walls speak the same Ian
guage now that they did then.
Alexander, 500 years before the Chris
iisn Era, visited the ruins of Troy tn gain
heroic inspiration, II .eing an ancient ru.
in then, SO many oi the names inscribed
within these walls, visited the Abbey
centuries ago, and within its almost mag
ic walls here formed thoughts that guild
the pages OF history III letters Of living
light
Addison, than whom none was more
profound. rs literary genius as we'll as u
christian philosopheT jim A ID I'LL writes
"W hen l am ia a serious bum0r, very
often walk by my seli in Westminster
Abbey where the elooniness OF the place
and tue use 10 which il is applied with
the solemnity OF the buiidng and the
condition at the people who live in it.
ait APT 10 all tue mind with kind OF
nlei,ncn"ly, or rather thoughtiulness
taat Is nc; disagreeable.
When | hook upon The tombs of The
great. every emotion of envy dies IN me
when read the epitaphs of the beautiful,
every inOrdlnaie desire goes out: when |
meet with the griet of parents ON "A tomb
stone, my heart melts with compassion
when l see the tomb If the par, Its them
selves, copsiddrI The vanity of grieving
for those when VI musi quickly i'llow.
hen see kins- i.,iaG ., ih st who de-
p0sed them; when cunsI,ier rival wis
placed side hy side. ar the holy men u at
diyidedthe word with their contests and
disputes. reflect With sorrow and astvn.
ishment on the little competitions, fac
tiUEs and debates IL mankind. When read
the several dates at the t0mbs, of some
that died yesterday, aud some six hund-
red years ago. consider that great day,
N hen "a snail oil f,x. cnfQtu r,pr and