The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-10-23

Al Island OF the western precincts OF the
town, and passes straight on to Dover
the veitable street and way built by the
legions Of Julius Cesar.
Before you descend the hill at the east
OF Harbledown you cannot but loug and
earnestly study the interesting scene be-
low. The valley Of the Stour stretches far
to the north and south, an almost limitless
lawn, broken only by blossoming hedge,
the CLASSY theadings Of the river, half hid
hamlets and the city's central mass Of
gray and red and green. Messy st. Dun
stan's il here to your left. At the north
eastern edge of the city that huge mass Of
walls and towers is what is left OF the once
world famous St Augustine's monastery.
Nearer TO where you stand Is Dane John
hill and obelisk. Between this and st.
Dunstan's that broken line of gray marks
the ancient city walls. Some Of this ma
sonry is more than LOO years old Five
or six Of the turrets Of these ancient walls
still show like castle towers among the
bright rcd city roofs.
Spires and round and square towers here
and there push above the foliage of the
huge old city trees. To the north, along
the winding Stour. are the barracks Of the
soldiery; for Canterbury is still military
station, as in ancient Roman and Saxon
times. Along the horizon edge toward
Ramsgate and Dover, huge windmills,
like those of Holland, flap their winglike
arms with sudden energy, or, high and
still upon some rounded down, stand like
ghostly silhouettes between green of earth
and blue of sky.
But all sights and seemings bring back
the eye to the one mass Of white. to which
the city towers. roofs and foliage and all
the valleys. fields and hamlets are as q
wide Etruscan base. 1t scars from but
tresses to towers, from towers to spires
and from spires to pinnacles f1eecy and
glitteripg in it's wondrous dimensions and
height, majestic, spotless, faultless, and
as fancifully light and delicate as vast
and shapely crag of coral from which the
sea has disappeared and left it among the
dallying clouds.
From st. Dunstan's Church you pass
through historic old Westgate, which has
stood there thousand years. 1t is now
Jail Underneath IL flows the Stour. To
the right and left strange old structures
overriding the stream and recall some Of
quieter sea lanes OF Venice From West
gate to the eastern arm of the Stour the
thoroughfare is called st. Peters. Then,
In the densest part Of the city, the way is
given the inevitable name OF High Street,
which you will find in nearly every cathe-
dral town of England Here are scores Of
the ancient houses like those Of Chester,
Gloucester and Exeter. Over them all
seems to brood mournful air Of departed
glory.
AS you arrive opposite curious and VEN
cradle st. Mary Bredmans Church
glimpse is caught. to the left and north, OF
tie quaintest lane In all Canterbury. This
is Mercery Lane. In the olden days each
trade or class Of merchants was given a
separate thoroughfare The MERGERS or
haberdashers occupied Mercery Lane. 1t
is now filled with all manner Of little
shops, where merchants instead of monks
set upon the modern pilgrim. Overhead
the houses protrude, story after story. I'M.
til the gables are within whispering prox-
unity. 1t is a pleasant place in which to
loiter, this Mercery Lane, and when you
have come to it's northern end you sudden
L.
an oblique view of its southern walls,
transepts and the southernmost angle OF
its far eastern apse while the top Of the
great central tower looms vast and white
and high above and beyond the companion
towers at either side of the vast west win
dow.
While no one can deny the grandeur OF
the proportions and richness in details OF
this splendid cathedral of Canterbury, the
feeling is irresistible that there is too little
room without and too much within.
mean by this that the effect OF SO vast
structure being closely crowded by masses
of interier buildings, precisely as with the
cathedral at Cologne. Is dwarfng and
Insignificant The interior lacks warmth,
and there is no doubt that unnecessary
vas.ness In a sacred edifice lessons the
desirable effect of repose.
For the student 10 ecclesiastical history
and architecture there is nowhere else in
England a so grand and comprehensive
study. The cathedral certainly embraces
every variety of the styles of English &C.
clesiastic architecture from the rudest
Saxon to the most finished gothic art 1t
contains greater number more famous
and richer tombs, shrines and effigies than
any other cathedral church OF Britain
Since its erection, out Of Canterbury's
ninety arch bishops eighteen have been
canonized, nine dignitaries have been ap'
pointed cardinals and twelve have been
made lord chancelors In its history, con
struction and all details OF cathedral en-
richment 1t lacks ~ element Of grandeur
ard deep impressiveness.
But to me there Is an emptiness, glar'
ing whiteness, loneliness, desolatlon,
Indeed dissertation, II that word may oe
rsed about this vast edifce which reminds
one Of q tremendous mausoleum rather
than q beautiful venerable and tenderly
kept house Of God In no part or portion
0! tie er.ire cathedral Is this saddening
impression modified Even most OF the in
scripticns or tombs and brasses are OF the
Stay, traveller, and reverenccl" variety.
You are constantly confronted With pri-
macy, even In the eternal set speeches OF the
teat Tie cloisters, though very great in
txteEt, are neither so beautiful nor repose'
trl as these ut Gloucester The chapter
house IL lofty, lonely ard Grear The great
nndercro., or crypt, where the Hrsuenot
Teavers worshiped suggests the charhe!
house. TIE cheir screen 10 o. stone ano
the arch bishops throne IL 81 stone; instead
Of he Beautiful carved oak which &c dis
t.rgu!shes many Ergl.sl cathe'rais. ano
there is nc grea, glowing saAf window
above he high altar. with ~ a"od OF
warmth ane light, as NOBLE &c: oisp OF the
source Of high. AID III. .:srIs.
All this may be deemed cau'.e's ny
some, but 70 The lay pilgrim; aptramme
by religious politics ~ political stEgien, IL