Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-13
STATELY SIMPLICITY
Marked the Ceremonies at the Funer-
al of the Poet Tennyson.
WESTMINSTER ABBEY CROWDED,
And the Throngs Affected by Reading Of
the LaureateS Poems.
LEWIS MORRIS A POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR
rBY CABLE TO THE DIsPArcH.l

rBY CABLE TO THE DIsPATcH.l
LONDON, Oct Copyright stately
simplicity marked the ceremony with which
England committed to sepulture the mon
arch of verse of her Victorian age. The
proud burial place of Kings and of kingly
intellects cherishes no finer clay than that
with which its vaults were enriched to-day.
The tribute of the living was the highest
that the nation co uld pay, the silent rever-
ence of a vast host which represented, as
perhaps no assemblage ever did before,
England's greatest in science, in art, in
letters and in craftsmanship.
That wealth of greatness which made it
impossible for hundreds ordinarily ac-
counted leaders in the various walks of life
to obtain admission to the ranks of the
mourning multitude shut out almost en-
tirely the representatives of the humber
admirers of the dead poet. This fact gave
an appropriate significance to what seemed
TO many in the great throng of eminent
mourners a blot upon the chaste solemnity
OF the occasion.
Thousands in the Great Abbey.
When the great abbey had been filled by
the assembled thousands, and the first
notes of the organ had sounded the ap-
proach of the entering procession, there ap-
peared lar above the heads Of the people, in
the arches of the triforium over the preach
er's desk, the figures OF three men. They
were not curiosity seekers, but honest
artisans, clad in the working clothes of
their trade. They wore overalls, white
with lime, and jackets, brown with earth.
1t is said they were masons who had been
at work till morning light fashioning the
ir,r ha ode
poet was to lie. They had asked the poor
privilege of remaining in an unobserved
corner to witness the burial OF the man
whose genius commanded their humble ad-
miration, back in the recesses of the tri-
forum. The floor, many feet below, was
invisible, so they stood out between the
arches at the dizzy height and watched the
solemn ceremony. ALI through the service
they stood there, clear-cut, rugged figures,
typifying and representing the love and the
veneration Of the plain people.
A Great Rush to the Tomb.
The rendering of Lord Tennyson's poems
by the choir greatly affected the vast con-
gregatlon. Immediately after the service
was concluded there was great rush to the |
grave. A number of stalwart policemen |
were obliged to form themselves in Gordon !
about the grave to prevent the crowd from |
pushing those in the front line into it. The |
services in the abbey began at 1880 and |
lasted exactly an hour Hundreds of |
people flocked to the regular early service,
hoping that they would be allowed to re-
main during the funeral services. They |
were disappointed, however, for the abbey
was cleared before IL o'clock.
Hallam Tennyson looked pale and worn.
The pallbearers all wore black frock coats
Lord Salisbury, looking ill, wore dark gray
prA pl-, - 4
behind Lord Roseberry. Outside the abbey
the crowd eagerly watched and discussed
the notable persons as they arrived and de-
parted. Hawkers were plentiful in the |
vicinity of the abbey yelling d tawdry me-
mortal card and cheaply-printed copies of
Crossing the Bar.
The Star this afternoon makes covert
attack on the Prince of Wales absence
from the services. 1t was announced two
laws ago that the Prince would be present,
out he did not attend The Star prints a
etter saying that the Prince of Wales pre-
ers TO go shooting or to attend the New
market races to attending the funeral of
UGH man as Tennyson.
Lewis Morris as Tennyson's Choice.
In the interesting controversy already be-
.un over the succession to the iaureateship |
10 voice will be regarded as more authori-
ative than that OF the great master himself, |
rho was buried today. While waiting in |
Westminster Abbey, to-day, for the en-
rance of the funeral procession, 1 had q
conversation with an aged and well-known
1nglishman who enjoyed close acquaintance
Eith Lord Tennyson. He made this re-
larkable statement: "Tennvson's own |
hoice of a successor would have been Lewis ,
forris. lie said to me and to members of
ny family, more than once, that he has
oped Morris would succeed him as laur-
ate. He has said SO to others also, priv
tely, but he would never say it publicly"
This reported preference of the late Iaur-
ate will not surprise many TO whom Ten
yson's appreciation of the work of the ]
ouEger poet is we'll known. Morris |
Songs of Two Worlds and ''Epic of
ladies'" have won him an acknowledged :
lace in the literary world, but the more
ecause the erratic verses of his namesake, c
William Morris, commanded greater pop
lar admiration.
Lewis Morris has some taste for politics,
eing named as the Liberal candidate in a t
Welsh district in the last election, but
tterward withdrawn.
Possibility of No Successor At All.
1t may be said that the popular opinion Q
gaining strength that there is no fit sue
,ssor of Tennyson, and that none should be
ppointed. There is said to be good reason
II believing that such is not the view taken !
the matter by the Queen, and that Mr. o
ladstone will be expected to assume the
elIcate task OF naming the next wearer of
lie laurel.
The pressure for tickets to the
neral ceremonies at Westminster Abbey o
DAY was something unheard Of Ameri- p
ns, no matter how eminent, Jared poorly. Z,
is an incident of common report that ac- =
the invitation to The American | -
mister to act as one of the pallbearers
ere were sent to the legation six tickets
admission to the abbey. Importanate st
qnests for the influence of the legation in tc
curing tickets had come from many
mericans. When Henry White, Secre-
ry and Charge d Affairs, received the al
tment from the managers, it is said that
exclaimed in an attitude of mingled
spair and Indignation: "Six tickets! :
hat are six tickets for 60, 900. 900 people?"