New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-15
POETIC SHRINES OF ENGLAND
HISTORIC INFLUENCE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
STOKE POGIS CHURCHYARD AND RECENT
CHANGES THERE-GRAY'S ELEGY-A VISIT
TO TIE CRAVE OF MATTHEW ARM
OLD AT LhLEIIAM.
trRou A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE,

foot on graves is undoubtedly wise
and right: and being in merry England in the
month of June it certainly is your own FAULT II
you do not fulfil the rest Of the philosophical
commandments and " Hear what wine and roses
say" Yet the history of England is largely
written in her ancient churches and crumblng
ruins, and the pilgrim to historic ana literary
shrines in this country will find 1T very dIhicuit
to avoid setting his foot on graves IL Is possible
OF course here as elsewhere to live entirely III
the present: but to certain tempcramentS ana III
certain moods the temptation is quite irresistibie
to live mostly in the past ! write these words in
home that once was occupied by Nell GWyh'
and as | glance into the garden / see noble
acacia that was planted by her own fair hands IN
the far off time of the Merry Monarch Within
ten days / have stood in the dungeon OF Guy
Fawlcs in the Tower, and sat at luncheon in
manor house of Warwiclxshire wherein were once
convened the consprat0rs of the Gun-f'owdcr Plot.
The newspapers of this morning announce that
a monument will be dedicated. on the 9th OF
July, to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish
Armada, three hundred years ago Surely it is
not unnatural that some of us should live in the
past and often should find ourselves muSing over
its graves Since l came hither this time L
have seen many new sights of which presently
mean to tell you but first. perhaps, it will not
be amiss to speak little of some of the old
sights, to which always returns,
and which cannot be seen too often.
One of the most sacred spots in England is the
churchyard of Sto<e-PogiS. l revisited that place
on June / 3, and once again rambled and meditated
in that hallowed region. Not many months ago
it seemed likely that Stoke Park would pass into
the possession off, sporting ring and be turned
into a race-cOurse and kennel \ track had al
ready been established there. Fate was ultimately
kind, however, and averted the final disaster.
This property is now owned by Bryant. Of the
widely known firm of Bryant Il May, dealers in
metals, and under this gcntlcman's control it has
been restored to its original state of peaceful
beauty Only few changes are to be noted, in
that part Of it which to the rcvcrent pilgrim must
always be the dearest. The churchyard has been
heightened little, in front and a solid and shape
ly wall of 0int, pierced b. an oak porch, richly
carved, has replaced the plain fence and simple
stile that formerly enclosed this rural cemetery
The additional land was given by the new proprie-
tor who wished that his own burial-vault might
be made in it this has been DONE beneath the
shade Of large tree not far from the entrance
The avenue from the gate to the church has been
widencd and is now bordercd with thin lines of
twisted stone, and where once stood only two or
rows, on either side of the path But the older
part of the graveyard remains unchanged. The
yew trees cast their dense shade, as of old The
quaint porch of the sacred building has not yet
suffered under the hand of restoration The an
cicnt wooden memorials of the dead continue to
mOulder upon their graves. And still the abundant
ivy CLEANS and trembles in the sunshine and the
summer wind that plays so swectly over the spired
tower and dusky walls of this lovely temple
"All green and wildly fresh without,
But worn and gray beneath,
1t would still be lovely church if it were not
associated with the great name of the author of the
immortal Elegy. / stood for long time beside
the tomb of that noble and tender poet and looked
with deep emotion the surrounding scene of PEN
sive, dream-lilIe beauty-the great elms, so dense
of foliage, stately and graceful the fields of
deep, waving grass golden with buttercups and
white with daisies; the many unmarked graves:
the many Wondering tombstones the rocks sail
ing and cawing around the tree tops; and over all
the blue sky lecl1ed with floating fleece Within
the church nothing has been changed The memo
rial window to Gray, for which contributions have
been taken during several years, has not yet been
placed. As l cast farewell look at Gray's tomb,
on turning to leave the churchyard it rejoiced my
then just come in were placing fresh flowers over
the poets dust. lie has been buried more than q
hundred ycars-but his memory is as bright and
green as the ivy on the tower within whose shadow
he sleeps, and fragrant as the roses that bloom
beside his grave. Many Americans, in these lat
ter days visit Stoke-Pogis churchyard, and surely
no visitor to the Old World, who knows how to
value what is best in its treasures, will omit this
ortO Of T,o
make. A brief run by railway from Paddington
takes you to Slough, which is near to Windsor
and thence it is a charming drive, or a still more
charming walk mostly through green, uncovered
lanes, to the vy-mantled tower the yew trees
shade and the simple tomb of Gray. What a
gap there would be in the poetry of our language
if the Elegy in Country Churchyard" were alb
sent from it, BY that sublime and tender
reveric upon the greatest and most
important of all subjects that can
engage the attention Of the human mind, Thomas
Gray became one of the chief bcncfactors of his
race Those lines have been murmured by the
lips of sorrowing affection beside many shrine
of buried love and hope, in many q churchard, all
round the world. The sick have remembered them
with comfort. The great soldier, going into battle
has spoken them for his solacc and cheer The
dying statesman, closing his weary eyes upon this
empty world, has spoken them with his last
faltering accents, and fallen asleep with their
heavenly music in his ears and in his heart. Well
may we pause and ponder at the grave of this
divine poet Every noble mind is made nObler,
every good heart is made better, for the experience
Of such pilgrimage. In such places as these
pride is rcbukcd, vanity is dispelled and all the
revolt and tumult of the passionate human heart
humbed into mecllness and submission.
You will understand the mood that has led
me, in these my wanderings, to IA place entirely
kindred with Stolc-pogis chmchyard, place
destined to become, after few years, just as
famous and Just as dear to the heart of the
rcvercnt pilgrim in the footsteps of genius and
pure rcnown. On a recent Sunday afternoon, June
~ | sat for u long time bcs..le the grave of
Matthew Arnold 1t is in n sweet little church
yard at Laleham, in Surrey, where he was born
The day was chill, sombre, and except for an
occasional low twitter of small birds and the