The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-09-07
THE EDITOR ABROAD.
Random Notes of Foreign Travel
LONDON, August 10, 1889.

LONDON, August 10, 1850.
OF Westminster Abbey | shall not at
tempt description. Even had | the
ability to write creditable one, worthier
pens than mine by far have long since
anticipated my ablest effort. | yield,
however, to no man who speaks the
English language, the palm of higher
reverence for this grand memorial mon
ument to the genius and intellect OF
our common race. If l had never
read any other description of it, than
Washington Irving's story Of his de-
lghlful visit there, should have rever-
enced the old Abbey, as the resting
place of the highest types of our Eng
Ish ancestors When my English
rlend and | entered the north tranSept
on Monday, service was being held IN
he choir of the Abbey, that part being
quite large enough for ordinary service,
the nave of tie Cathedral being only
used on special or state occasions. We
With drew tor little time and strolled
around the Deans Yard and returning
took seats. Casting my eye over the
audience | recognized several acquaint
lnces mlde on the steamer coming
over, and looking across the aisle to my
right, | certainly thought | recognized
face familiar in Washlngton-that of
Senator Sherman. | called my friends
attention to the presence of this dis
tinguished American, and at the close
of the service, crossed over and had
pleasant chat for the moment with the
Senator. We viewed in turn the choir,
the chapels, the cloisters, and the
Chapter House. Poets Corner in the
south transept awakened more senti
ment in me than any other portion oi
the Abbey, next to tnat the view of the
tomb OF Mary Queen of Scots. l
confess that felt my bump of venera
ton enlarge very sensibly as | viewed
these memoria Is of departed greatness,
less however at the tumbs of Kings,
than by the side Of the memorials Of
the great and honored worthless OF
English literature From Poet Cor
ner we were shown by one of the ver-
gers the different chapels, of which the
Abbey contains twelve, the largest being
that of Henry the Seventh. In re
cess at the east end OF this chapel Oil
yer Cromwell wss buried, but wi ose
ody alter the r storation was torn
from its grave still wearing his sword
and hung on Tyburn gallows from SUM-
rise to sunset on the first anniversary
of the death of Charles the First. From
Poets Corner we entered the Chapter
House and Crypt recently restored at
heavy expense. 1t is ali elegant oc-
tagon of English Gothic. For 600
years the House Of Commons met here.
To me the most noticeable feature of
il was one of the memorial windows
contributed by citizens of the United
States, our national colors being EN-.
blazoned on a shield in one corner of
southwest of the Abbey which we visl-
ted has witnessed many remarkable
scenes, none perhaps more worthy OF
note than the Westminster Assembly OF
Divines which sat here for five years
and half and produced the "Cate
chisn" and Confession of Faith" fol-
lowed after long interval by the COM
mttee for the revision of the Holy
Scriptures, appointed May S, 1870,
which gave US the Revised New Testa-
ment a year later, and has recently
completed the revision of the Old
Testament. From the Abbey we crossed
to Westminster Hall now the vestibule
to the Houses of Parliament. In this
memorable hall and of which Macaulay
gave his graphic description, was held
the seven years trial of Warren Hast
Ings. HIRE Cromwell was inaugurated
Lord Protector in 1867, and at its gate
Charles the Second was proclaimed in
1000. Upon its south gable Cromwell's
head was set, where it remained tor
twenty years. In this same hall, Lord
Byron was tried for killing Mr.
Chaworth.
The two Houses of Parliament are
only accessible to visitors upon an or,
der of a member, except on Saturdays
when an order can be obtained from
the Deputy Lord Chamberlin from
eleven to three In the afternoon OF thai
day. Alter the dynamite explosion ir
1885 strangers were not admitted al
! all. The Speaker takes the chair lit