Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-06-16

Arundel. Adjoining Is fontnlll, FORMER
seat Of the author Of that weird and marvel
GUS tale OF the orient, "Vathek." Just over
the border of Willis, in Dorset, is Shafts
bury. where was buried King Edward the
martyr. Three miles TO the northwest is
the ,Field of the Tournament" one OF the
five places appointed for tourneying by
Richard /. And but nine miles from
salisbury, and seven north of old Sarun,
will he found Stonehenge, the most re-
markable monument of antiquity III all
the British isles.
But it seems to me that of all else the
lSindliest glamor and charm investing old
Salisbury and nelghborhOod have been
laid upon them by the gentle pen of
Dickens. In my loiterings in lane and
highway, by riverside anf in lield-paths,
how those folk of Martin Chuzzlewt"
troop back into their old accustomed
places. In this village or in that you place
the Pecksnin home, and are sure that
from that dormer window the unctious
old hypocrite's pupils" in architecture, in
company with tender-hearted Tom Pinch.
traced the elevations of the far cathedral
roof and spirc.
The little wnysidc inn with its snowy
curtains and vine-massed sides must be
the veritahle Blue Dragon presided over
by buxom Mrs. Lupin, where old Martin
Chuzzlewit came, cursed with gold and
where the dirty and jaunty Montague
Figg and his companion, the strange in
stance of the little ffailties that beset u
mighty mind" Chevy Slyme, Esq,
entered upon their memorable but bootless
negotiations for loan from Mr.. Peck
snif. The little alehouse across the way
must also be the Half Moon and Seven
stars where all "thc private lodgings in
the place, amounting TO full four beds and
a sofa, rose cent per cent in the Market"
as the vultu.e relatives gathered.
Here where the quiet country road, no
more than Il snowy hawthorn lane, stops
short at the great highway and OF old the
stages dashed onward TO mighty London
town, is certainly the very spot where
poor Tom Pinch, with heavy heart saw
the stage like some great monster" bear
away his friend. honest John Westlock,
more exultant and rampant than usual"
that dreary night of parting.
This bright highway athwart the ridge
bordered with chestnut, elm or beach, with
here and there a sunny opening showing
the clustered matches and roses of q farm
house, undoubtedly was the very one over
which Pinch came in his hooded gig;
where the redoubtable Mark Tapely first
disclosed his contempt for those vacations
not sad and harrying enough TO render u
| jolly spirit creditable; where the faces of
fair lussies bcamed upon Tom, and even
ruguish fingers tossed him kisses, Tor, dear
soul, there could be no harm in him, and
over which he at last reached Salisbury
and its snug old tavern in which Eat half
past six he so happily meets young Mar
| Tin and the event is celebrated ia gl,lss of
| punch each, AS hot as it could be made.
| This delightful associative nearncss to
those whom Dickens has created for your
celseless friendship clings to you in the
| line old city ~ well. II you are here OF a
market day, AS this one is, and us il was ON
the occasion Of Tom Pinchs visit, the pie
| lure Dickens drew for Tom is the one you
| Will still ind, and with rs mellow "A setting
as there is in all England, You will see
the young farmers and old farmers, with
| sinock frocks, brown grcatcoats, drab
| grcutcoatS, red wurstcd comlorters, leather
icggings. wonderful shaped hats, hunting
! whips and rough stick" just the same rs
| Tom Pinch did
somehow the quaint shops, jewelers.
| shops. bookshops, toyshops, childrens'
bopkshops, chemists shops and all
! qunlntor but less wonderful to YOU, are
still seen through Toms kindly eyes. And
| when you tire of all this and come to that
| sweet cathedral close, you love all the
| ancient and sacred place better because
| Tou linch's friend was once associate
organist here, and let Tom help with the
stops, and when the afternoon service was
over lett Pinch alone in the organ loft.
! While he played and the tones resounded
through the cathedral great thoughts and
| hopes came crowding on his mind y which
"seeined TO find an echo III the depth Of
| every ancient tomb, no less than in the
| deep mystery of his own heart"
| And so il will be with you, for il is not
| so much that the spire of this grand cathe-
dral is the tallest in all England, that
| many of its tombs and monuments are the
"a nd Nl...tt tsu
Is uncomfortable in It's loneliness, tran
| guilty and beauty, as that all these
| charms OF association stir your mind and
| heart. Not 50 wonderful is what you will
| sec at Salisbury, though that is wonderful
indeed, AS what you will feel.
| so much Of this tender enthusiasm pos
sesses you that you can never tell another
critically about Salisbury Cathedral. No
need for that All the host OF those who
bring their pocket rules and dissert in
| technique about plinths and mullions and
| ogees and superincumbents and strings
| and flying buttresses aud arcadings and
ctispings and tiligrees aud spandrils and
diaper enrichinents, have been here before
| you, measured and sisetched and nosrd
about and gone, a half Thousand years
| ago But you see glorious aspiration
wrought out in stone. Whatever Your re-
ligion, you realize that sublimest human
| elurt sustained by sublimest faith and zeal
have fashioned from earthly elements
something indescrlbabiy grand and beau
titul, 70 stand as place for prayer and type
OF endless upreactings OF human hearts to
the mystery OF the infinite.
In hat and with that you dream and
worship. Long and lovingly too, you
loiter and dream in the old cathedral close
As no picture ever Craven or painted rc
yeals Just impressions Of any great cathe
dral exterior or interior, SO no words cal
convey the subtle charm of the close ol
salisbury cathedral. There are tones anl
tints in The Deserted Villapeii and tn,
"Elegy' that hint, but they only hint
OF what is here. EpGAR i. WAKENAN.