The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-30
WAKEMAN'SWA NDERINGS
AT TIE SHRINE AND HAUNrS OF
THE POET GRAY-IL.


The Poet Traveller Among the Fa-
miliar Scenes of the Elegy-stoke
Manor, ihe Gray Monument and the
Ancient Stoke Poses Church and
Churchyard winsomey Pictured by
a Loving and Poetic Pen.
(CosrriohtO
STOKE PooEs. ENGLAND, OCT. 12.-If the
splendid scenic and historic environments of
Stoke Poges, the OLD homo and chief haunt
OF the poet Gray, u fine and stirring, the
place itself is one likely to awaken the
purest emotions Of contemplation and de-
light. There are no more beautiful park
and farm landscapes to be found In England
than In Buckinghamshire, which include the
Velvety reaches and splendid parks and
primeval forests roundabout Windsor
castle.
But Victoria caninowhere find In all the
sylvan retreats of Home park, Mid
die park and Great park, at
windsor, that intense retirsmenE and
melodious solitude which tostered the pen
slVs d gentle spirit breathing from every
line OF GTay's matches ''Eiegy." Peace
and repose seem to brood upon all the lance
and fields II you come, as most visi ors do,
by way OF Windsor and slough station, you
will InseuSibly feel this the IN oment the lat
Ter place has disappeared behind the elms,
and you are alone in the highways between
| the fields. Eternal Sabbath seems to have
descended upon the entire paris Of Stoke
toRes aud the manor Of Stoke; and, what
ever the season of the year. the dangerous
hush Is always here and ever close and un-
bro en-.
often tramp out here from old London
town with any manner Of vagarous excuse
for the idling vaRabond journey. Each
| time am sure 10 discover some new lane
or hedgs-bordered road leading to the nook
and nest seek. Wherever | may be when
half dozel miles away, l follow bill dly
only the general direction toward the tiny
| gray old spire which pushes above the soft
| bank Of trees to the west; and then, be il
| by broad highway, blossOming lane or by
footpath across tbs fields, there 10 the Same
surp ssing quiet beauty and ohAnEeless
! atmosphere Of rest.
One may only fancy it, but II seems that
even the carts upon the highways are more
noissleSs here. COtter and piowboy, farmer
or griny potter from the near kilrs. coun-
try wench or laSsie with rosy cheeks, appear
| to move from houss to house or held TO
field, az II In pleasant mood. Kline in fields,
dogs at doorways, sheep in meade We. ali
browse or nod as in sleepy solstIce time;
while the birds, though no less meledious
! here, tune their lays as II hesitant
OF breaking. even with joy, the
sweet ami tender spell Ali this,
too, Is intenslned by the peculiar
retirement Of The central scene Of the
''Elegy"-the Stoke Pogss church and
| church yard. Neither 10 at the waysIds as
is usual with English country. ma .orisl
| churches. Unless fl st rightly directed, you
| would pass them many times upon the old
north and south highway from Slough.
| They lie to the west of the road, hidden by
- e. al.
| fields, with here and there willow bordered
runlets Of whipping water or shadoWy
| pools, where. in summer, are
The x me- b-eastdeep in the shadows at noon,
When tue flushed sun waits 10 saffrony skies;
threading. of lanes end highways with
dainty vistas stretching to the horizon be-
tween. and, II the trees are wind-whippsd
enough In autumn time. glimpsss Of tho
soInber brown of Etons embattled walls
with the gre { round tower OF Windsor, a
| gray silhouette beyond.
| IL you know the way and have come In
June or July, when lawn and leaf are rioa-
est, you can see from the ghwsy no more
! tnAn the chimney, or the caves, or bit of
the roof thing Of little lodge beyond the
gate. Overarching trees and luxurious
| crespers shut out the Stoke park road
| plete!y. Leaving this you entsr
| path leading over little hlllock through a
| tangled maze OF coppice and come, at the
! END or perhaps 100 yards, upol huge mon
ument erected to the memory or Grav IN
! 1879. by John Penn. grandson Of William
| Penn, the then lord of Stoke manor. The
design was by TIE uoted James Wyatt 1t
consists OF Earcophagus of heroic size SUD-
! ported on lofty square freeetone pedestal,
| the whole reaching perhaps 80 or 90 feet
| above the sWard, which u beautifully inter-
sperssd with flowers aud protected by
surrounding sunken fence.
IL is really the only important monument
to Gray In existe !ce. A vast sum was once
collected under pretense of a building fund
in memory OF Gray at Pembroke hall at
Cambridge, where he was for many years
one or the most ilustrious ornaments OF the
classic town. Indeed :" says so excellent
an authprIty as Gosse, III strangers did not
periodically inquire lat Cambridge tor bis
room, 1t Is probab taAt the name OF Gray
wonld be az completely forgotten at Peu-
broke as at Psterhouse iron which his cold
bath at the hands OF roistering fellow COM
moners one January night in l756 lad
driven himl. where also no monument OF
any kind preserves the record OF his pres
ence."
And 1t 10 not an unpleasant reflection to
al Amerioan that a near descendant OF the
great founder Of a great American COM
inonWealth was drst 20 honor nn imperish-
able name in inperishabls stone.
The inscriptions on the four sides are In
Keeping with the spirit of the spot and at
once emphasize in the minister's mind the
close and loving association OF poet. poetry
and place. On the side facing the south
approach is the following
This Monument, in honor Of
THOMAS GRAY.
Was Erected A. d. 1879.
Among the scenery
Celebrated by that great Lyric and Elegioc Poet
He died in III,
Anc lies unnoted IN the adjoining Church-yard,
Under the Tomb stone on which he piousIy
And pathetically recorded the nterment
or bus Aunt and iamented mother.
The other three inscriptions are from the
lode to Elton College" aud the "Elegy."
That on the north side il from tine ode:
Ye distant spiersi Ye antique towersl
That crown the watery glade.
All, happy hillsl alb, pleasing shaded
All, nslds beloved ia yRin