The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-03-12

nance was, TO say the least OF il, some
what uninteresting, and unworthy ol
Westminister Abbey.
He replied like a man who deigned tc
answer me. There was blandness OF
authority in his way of speaking that
did not admit of contradiction. He
delivered an opinion like one who de
cided, not like one who opened an orgu
ment.
was glad to have guide who haG
an opinion Of his own. Having gone
into the Abbey to waste my time,
Thought might now improve it.
"These Monuments" he continued
"are badly managed. They are heaped
together without plan. Admirable, some
of them, in the morris of art they are
spoiled by idea or location. There is Q
want of harmony and whole. What q
contrast, indeed, between the exquisite
thought, impressed on the glorious pile,
and the paltiy attempts at at mere hu
man praise chiseled on most of these
mnrbles3 How the past seems to weigh
down the present How small are we
to-day compared with the founders OF
this church /"
l fancied that this seomed learned by
heart. 1t was very well spoken, and il
it was his own it was evident he was q
man of education. 1 concluded that the
ideas were his own because they were
consistent with his "form." But who
shall tell whether a man is original in
the first five minutes of his acquaint
ance2 Certainly the words had that sort
of sound which implied they had been
said once before and might perhaps be
said once again. 1t struck me as acci
dental that l was the recipient of wis
dom which was prepared and sentenced
for delivery. And then, too, there is q
way of saying good things which shows
that the talker whistles to elevate him.
self much more than to do justice to his
theme; and my friends depreciation Of
Westminster sculpture was obviously
the exaltation of-my friend. replied
in few words, just to show that under
stood both himself and the remarks he
had made. But he took up his theme
and expanded it.
"The uses of the Abbey" he declared
in irritation, "are simply infantile and
imbecile. Compare that roof, these
walls, this idea, with the grasp of the
Dean and Chapter 1t is a fabric of
really great mind chatteled by mere
children's toys"
This was sublime l thought it desi-
rable to say that 1 agreed with him.
Not wishing to provoke more deep
thoughts would assuage him by grace
full concession.
81 see you are a man of ideas, he
continued (this at least showed his per-
ception); and then we wandered all over
the Abbey and inspected the various
points.
He smiled at the monuments as we
passed along and made disrespectful OBJ
servatiOns.
1 was thinking how to get rid of him,
for the Abbey was cold; and the chilli.
ness of the monuments, with the bonn,
bast of my friend, suggested speedy
escape. think he saw that had heard
about enough, and was on the point Of
wishing him "good evening"" This
quickened his plans
"You know the cloisters2 he asked me
with eagerness-with a tone implied
"If you don't L should be extremel,
glad to show them"
L did not know the cloisters. I haC
never been in them in my life. hat
no wish whatever to enter them, least o
all on this chill winters eve, with tn,
thermometer down below zero. Th,
wind, too, was blowing from the cast
and there was nothing outside to invit,
one. L therefore replied that L woulc
now return home, and made some ex
cuse about "family."
He was not to be refused.
81 know all these places by heart,
he objected; 81 have made them tn
study of my life. 1t will not take u
five minutes to walk round. Do comel'
There is fascination in some men il
the inverse proportion of their gifts o
attractiveness and merit. You ma,
often be unable to refuse the disagreoa
bic, what with reluctance, you would re
fuse to the pleasing. Nor is it possibl
to account for this anomaly, save on tn
) ground of that secret bewitchmen
/, which comes of rank evil to the SOU
}, L think Catullus speaks of facinatin
''male lingua;" but there are worse fas
T cinations inherent to some men tina
|, those which proceed from the tongue.
; ] was fascinated into saying Eyes" t
my friend and accordingly to the cloil
ter we went.
1t was the very witching hour of five
which in winter time means comm
/ night, with shadows drear and frightfu