Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-29

CANTERBURY, ENGLAND, Sept. a.
Despite the huge proportions, the beau
tlful interior and the still existing evil
dences of splendor in treasure and cere-
monial in the olden days of the cathedral
at Canterbury-tirst established seat of
episcopal power in England, the present
see OF an archbishop, primate of all
England and metropolitan-both the
cathedral and city seem to impress the
visitor with an indefinable sense of sad
ness and unrest nowhere else experienced
in the old cathedral townspf England.
This is not easily analyzed and made
clear to others. 1t is true, however, that
at Worcester, at Exeter, at Lincoln, at
Wells, at Winchester. at Gloucester, at
Salisbury, at Lichiield, at Chester, at
Ely, and even to some extent at the
huge and shadowy Minister of York,
there is something so warm and sunny
In the Immediate surroundings, so deep
an affection of townsfolk for the vener-
able edifices is apparent, something so
hushed, reposeful and soothing is felt in
the calm OF close, cloister and church
itself, that one imperceptibly yields to
the gentle spell and is touched by the
eweet and tender influence.
At Canterbury the entire interpreta-
=
tructuTal impressiveness is different
The sea and another land and tongue are
too close TO give the cathedral and town
thatcompleteand harmonioussettngan
environment peculiar to nearly all other
cathedrals of England. Somehow there
are too many splatches OF blood upon
Canterbufy's consecrated stones to pre-.
vent chill and o shudder as YOU come
close to the place of historic and dread
full tragedies, and one of the foulest
murders OF the Christian era gave this
cathedral its vastest treasure and great
est renown. The shrines of Canterbury
are of kings and prelates only. The
heart is not greatly stirred by these. The
humble shrine of old lzaak Walton
warns the human affections more to
the one venerable cathedral where the
gentle angler lies, and the "Poet's Cor
ner," or the one little slab bearing the
name "Charles Dickens" in Westmin-
ster, holds the affections closer to Lon
don's abbey church than all the tombs
OF kings, prelates and saints in immeas-
urably more splendid Canterbury. And
the majestic and priceless dreams in
stone in this glitterlng and princely
cathedral, while they compel an intel
lectual submissiveness akin to awe, still
possess repellant grandeur rather than
that mellow and tender winsomeness
which twines every tendril of ones
heart, close as their moses and vies, in
and around all other old cathedrals and
cathedral towns Of England.
When Caesar with his Roman legions
crossed the straits of Dover and pushed
on to London to suhiugate the entire
island save Scotland, Wales and nor.
tinpu NJ (tHrnXpo1 ha
hamlet at a ford of the river Stour, Is
miles from Dover and So from London.
The Romans utilized this strategic place
as base of supplies and military sta.
ton, and gave it the name of Duroyer-
mum. After the Romans retired from
England and the Saxon domination be.
gan, the present county OF Kent became
Kingdom. It's chief city and capital,
the former Roman Durovcrnum. was
then called Cantwarahyrig, and the
name Canterbury of to-day is simply u
slight corruption of the city's old Saxon
title.
The manner in which Canterbury be.
came the seat of the Primate of
the Anglican Church was in this
wise; Pope Gregory the Great, in 500,
conceived the idea of Outstanding the
inhabitants of England, independent of
the splendid missionary labors of the
followers of st, Patrick in Ireland and
upon the western coasts of Scotland
Wales and Cornwall. Augustine, called
the apostle of the English, originally Il
monk in the convent of st. Andrew at
Rome, where he was educated under
Pope Gregory, was selected to under.
take the conversion of the British.
Conditions were favorable to this
mission. Ethelbert was then the fourth
King of Kent. His wife, Bertha, daugh
ter Of Cherebert, King OF France, was
Christian princess, and had stipulated
n for the free exercises of her religion in
her marriage contract. Her influence
upon Ethelbert was such as to assure
Augustine and his followers of n hos
q 'pltaple reception. Soon after Angus
tines arrival King Ethelbert not only
embraced Christianity, and caused. ~
royal command, the conversion and
baptism of his mobiles and people. but
also granted the city of Canterbury and
its dependencies to Augustine, who lad
4 been invested with archiepiscopal
dignity by Pope Gregory. The nope
soon after sent additional missionaries
and empowered Augustine to consti-
Y. tute bishop OF York, but this in such
"A manner that Augustine of Canterbury
"A and each OF his SUCCESSORS should re-
main metropolitan of all England.
Augustine died in the wear GO4 nj
Canterbury. He was buried in Tho
'churchyard of the Augustine monastery
the cathedral building then not being
completed After tine cathedral was
consecrated his body was removed 10
the north porch, where it rename
until 1901, when it was placed within
the cathedral. All this is interesting.
briefly traced, as it gives exact data as 10
origin of episcopacy in England; shows
the source and circumstances of the
creation of ecclesiastic primary at
Canterbury, and is evidence, that the
original Canterbury cathedral, an i'm.
portant portion Of which is intact within
the present cathedral walls, was in pro.
gross OF construction at least $50 years
ago.
The ordinary modern pilgrimage to
Canterbury is made over the London &
southeastern railway, and pleasant
one it is. But far pleasanter one is 10
saunter over the ancient way taken by
the pilgrims in those doys when the
shrine Of st. Thomas a Beckett was 10
the plous OF England what Mecca is to
the Followers OF Mahomet. This leads
from out through Southwark, IN Surry,
over into Kent and, for about so miles,
past the lavender fields, the strawberry
farms and great hop vineyards of the
most fruitful portion Of England
Enough southwark is now merely a
portion of London, like Chelsea on the
west, 1t has many characteristic old time