The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-07-19
IN FOREIGN LANDS.


--asaahottas..
| IN FOREIGN LANDS.
Eselrose Abbey ana 1Al,aottsferl-Iiom o
Sir Walter Scptt-Neueastle, Durham
York, Sheffield, Birmingham and STRAIT.
ford-1iie Grave of Si,ai.espe:c-I,.bor.
erss Wages In England.
From our own Correspondent.
thou would view fair Melrose Alright,
TO Visit 1t by the pale moons Light"
wrote Sir Walter Scott in his matchless de-
scr1ption of Melrose Abbey by moonlight.
to be found in the second canto of his
LAY of the Last MINSTREL but probably
not one tourist in hundred is SO favored,
and ut the time of our visit we were COM
PEELED to content ourself with the rich glow
of tho twilight. which makes it possible to
read ordinary print at 10 p. NJ, in the sum
! Iaer time and is as near an approach to
| moonlight Us could be obtained. 1t re-
quires no brilliant Imagination, however,
to see that ia the soft light of the summer
moon, these ruins must be indescribably
beautiful.
Melrose Abbey was founded in 1886, but
was destroyed by the English and rebuilt
i'll the 14th century. It is located in the
village of Melrose, just at the foot Of the
Eildon Hills, which, according to the legend.
were 'cleft in three by the power OF a
familiar demon, under control of Michael
Scott, the wizard. The entrance is not
"by steel clenched postern door," but by
an iron gate at thieves end OF the grounds
where the admission faa is collected. The
rum Is complete. ! is totally unoecupied
and the roof nearly all fallen, but enough
remains of its walls and arches to show it's
wondrous architecture and to give some
idea Of what its beauty must have been be-
fore the hand of time and the zeal of the
reformers of the 18th century had crumbled
its "massy nave" and destroyed nearly all
Of its images. The ruin as it now stands is
258 feet in length and 10 in breadth. with
transept l3o feet in length and 44 feet in
breadth. The western end of the nave is
entirely gone, but a large portion of the
south aisle with several chapeIs still remain.
The eastern portions Of the aisles, together
with part Of the chapcel and the extrenities
Of the transept, are covered by the original
gro1ned roof, and exhibit beauty of de-
sign and delicacy of carving which is un-
The tall, slender columns,
which "seemed bundles of nnces which
garlands had bound" with their graceful,
pointed arches and their beautifully carved |
render it easy to accept the theory
that the Gothic style OF architecture was |
originally an imitation in stone Of those |
forest temples in which the columns were !
formed of clusters of saplings bound toGetk- |
er, with their branches interviewer to form |
the roof. The principal remaining en- |
trance to the Abbey is through fine Gothic |
doorway, just beneath the great south win
dow in the transept. This window is "a by
l6 feet and its mullions and tracery are in a |
complete state of preservation. Just above
its arch is niche which once held figure
Of Christ. the six inches on either side be-
ing filed with figures Of the apostles. The
great east window is, however, the grandest
feature of the ruin, either from the interior
ar exterior. It is thirty-seven feet high and
sixteen feet broad and its tall, slender
nullions and light tracery are best described
II Sir Walter Scots lines:
. Thou would st have thought some fairy's hand
Twixt popiars straight the osier wand
n many freakish knot had twined;
Then framed a spell when the work was done,
and changed the willow wreaths to stone"
With the chancel arc buried many OF Scot
apd's gallant sons, including members of
he families of Douglas, Scott and others.
Iere the heart of Bruce is said to have at
asst found resting place after the failure
If his friend. the Douglas, to carry it to
Palestine. A fiat, messy stone is reputed
0 be the tomb of the wizard, Michael Seett
he weird description of whose funeral may
'e found in Scott's &c Lay of the Last Min
trel" The cloisters were originally north
# the nave, but only seven of the seats re-
main. The arches and the frieze are ex-
uisitely carved, in iInitatien of plants,
lowers, etc., no two of tbs many designs
eing alike,
I do love those ancient ruins; ;
We never tread upon them but we set
bur foot upon some reverend history; {
And questlonless, here in these open esurta,
Which now lie naked to the injuries
OF stormy weather some nan lie inferred Y
Who loved the church so well and gave go large
1y to it, &
That they thought it should have canasied :
their bones
'oreger, bnt all things have an end, i
Churches and cities, that have dieases like to
men.
lust have like death that We have S
From Melrose to Abbottsford is about S
aree miles, tho road being bordered by c
edges and passing through Il delightful ,
ountry. Abbottsfogd is now ti.e property {
f Mr.. Hope Scott, who married the grand Y
aughter of Sir Walter. It is irregular in {
obstruction having been built at different |
mes, without any complete architectural | I
NJ