New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-09-05
WESTMINSTER WAXUORFS.

From The LoHdOn Gfcbf.
The perfect funeral efhgIcs now naming II
! Westminster Abbey are some eleven III number
and can lie viewed by an order from the Dean \
small door to the north OF the " high altar iea".
! b. a wOnGrOLsly narrow stairway to the abode 6.
these curious relies; they stand about tie cAamhcl
IN glass -frOnted oakcn presses, which bctwreI
the clustered columns one sees spaces Of Oh.
glorious interior sunused with gentle ilGht. Ihi
panes That guard the cgics are scratched with The
initials of generations of nobodics, OF whom the
historian discover nothing save that they were
possessed of diamond rings. The figures them
selves have that air of lofty resolution never to
look at commoner, that Is so characteristic OF
your arIstocratic waxwOrk. They are cOplOHsly
powdered with dust that lies in tiny drifts IN the
dimples of their features, and hangs on their eve
lashes. And dust upon their nosr> Jana upon the
lace. and Nclyet and mlnlvcr OF Their roles, and
npon the broken orb and the taniShed sceptre.
The face Of Queen Elizabeth is striking lean.
yellow. and aquiiine. the image of venerable old
Inaidenism. ~ has called it the figure is ali
normally long wasted. and Is dlshgured by the
absurd paunieTs of bvg0ue fashion. This ef1igy
only dates from 1860. when ii wa made at the cX-
pense of the chapter for the bi-ccntcnary of the
COLLEGIATE church. The dress is probably of older
date, an i the face modelled upon the Older mask.
The jewels this figure, as Oh the others. are
Charles H." is considered good likeness, and
is fair state of preservation; but the merry
monarch seems affected By an undercurrcnt OF mel
anchoy. William and Mary face each other with a
heavy Batayian dignity, and good Queen Anne
looks on In plump majesty. The Duchess of Buck
ingham and her child occupy one case, and John
Sheffield the first duke one OF Anncs Ministers. Is
recumbent opposite, exposing very large pair of
red heels The efligy OF the beautiful Duchess of
Richmond dates from about ;l7O2, and a gray par,
rot il enshrined with It, This lady's will directed
that a handsome image of herself should be fash
loned arrayed in coronation robes, and placed
under the best crown glass and " none other" The
parrot had been the humble friend Of tne Duchess
Tor forty years, and survived her only "a few days
Nelson :" pI escnts a slim and spirited appearance
the clothes, with the exception of the coat, were
actually worn by him. The figure is enlarged
from statuette in wax, executed during Nelson's
lifetime and its rdis0n d6tre is very curious Mel
son having been buried at St. Paul's his funeral
car attracted crowds to the cathedral. and dmin-
ished proportiOnately tne harv est of sxpencos at
the Abbey The Westminster people hit upon the
expedient of having this eilgy made, and quickly
readjnsted the balance of popular favor. The
Earl OF Chatham. in robes of state, and graspng
the inevitable roll. completes the tall On the
floor is a plain square box an inscription upon II
informs us that 1t contains the remains OF the I'M
happy Major Andre. They have proba bly, found
more honorable resting place by this time, but tho
box adds another CHASTITY tOnch TO "A most uncanny
corner OF the Abbey. AS one steps out amongst the
knots of gazers and idlers in the transept. there
comes o OF having boen withdrawn for a while
from the present into secret chamber where, in
Wondering state. the mighty departed hold tho
ghost of conclave.