The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-29
WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
IwPHESSIONs or An AMERICAN ON
AyIsTT THITHER.
A PocticaI Description of tho Hniiowed
Place and Reference to the Illus
trious Men Resting There.

Inc most G1UON'n IliNt, '"~ H'''N So
SPOT 10 the heart OF every true Ameri-
can: that devoted shrine at when me
faithful Transatlantic pilgrim hrst
kne ,lq. the tinc-honored the traditional,
the historical, the tire Mecca. 10 "h'ch
he hastens. not with wcaried step ana
slow"-what is it. and where is 1t In all
the British. Isles?
surely 10 Is not necessary that l Shouiu
even pause y moment, but III The same
breath that asks the question also comes
the angwer from every loyal Elshsh
heart, from every tongue that speahS
our mother language. Ihai name 30
dear, so wen known to all-Neslmihsler
Abbey The simple mention OF THIS ven
cradle name calls up host OF assocla-
tious and awakens "A world OF heart
echoes. still sounding IN the sacred cham
bers OF men ory This imposing, Stately
and beautiful pile tina. i had so ott'h
read Of and seen in my dreams long
before my eyes OF flesh beheld II IN All
it's architectural magnihcence. its wealth
Of antiquity; and the sublime grandeur
of its history will hll a leas. one non
ored niche in memory's hall until time
shall crumble into dust each and every
tenement of mortal clay.
InE roTi's CORNER.
| cannot well conceive Of any purer
Intellectual pleasure, oil any more re-
fined or cultivated source Of recreation
for an American 10 INDUCE in, than
when I'm thoughtful mood, (and the place
awakens grand thoughts. deep reflections.
profound IneGitaiions), and with appre-
ciative taste, he Wanlers for tho hrst
time beneath that fretted roof, WITHIN
those sacred walls and through those
stored aislcs amid all that greatness oi
acts and deeds and names 80 ola in
story" whose earliest impress was made
upon our minds, through juggling rhymes
in our nursery times. Ana these carry
Impressions became q part OF us, cling
ing to us until after the lapse OF years,
in our good fortune. some Of us nave
stood within this grand Mausolerm o.
Eneland's ilustrious dead. And II there
was any one place dcarer than the resi-
whose silent but eloquent tongue spoke
| TO us Of the glorious past. IT was foe's
/ Corner where those gentle spirits badc
Us linger the longest.
aye VINO file OFF the mortal part
or glowing thought with Atucart'
And drink pure song from
Cams or Isis stream.
,rhoso many statues, those busts with
wol-poised heads. with in'eiiec. s'dil'i'' .,
| unou every marble feature. the iAllai
vaccinations and all that relates TO their
| o.ict dust that tells of their fame are
| ,ohlor prouder trophies by far. than an
| the tattered banners, the dusty pluiues'
| the rusty armor from the most ehaah-
! ruined and victorious battle-helds that
! the yalorous arms Of old England nave
| ever won with the sacriice OF hui'i"l
! blood. Among the epitaphs one al edsl
viii attract special attention by us
| ouaintncss and truthfulness. II READS:
| 30 Rare Ben JonsOn." a plain, honest
tribute to a great poet and man Of grand
aenius. a chosen friend and most worthy
! contemporary Of the immortal Snake
speare.
INTEREST TO hMFRIchNs
Westminster Abbey cannot fail TO IN
terost Americans. They feel and claim a
share and interest in every atom OF us
| consecrated dust and often you may
| see them with uncovered heads uet'-
ing. with rcvereutial steps, among me
narrow. silent homes of their torelalh-
ers. TO an Ameri ,9n mind ana near l.
given TO quiet reelection ana deep ieehns'
! a visit to this time-honored anu Sac.e,i
| old Abbey arOuscs a train or ,hcu5hl no.
| once INDUCED i'm elsewhere. in all MS
| efghf seeing. though ne may have roamei
| far and wide through this great Woiii'
seeking its wonders, and every object OF
| interest il might present 10 MS auHilii"S
| eoze. Not the hOary tOmbs OF the ma
1 roohs and the 100 gated cities OF the
| Nile: not the Acropols and the Palthe-
| non the plains OF Narathan. the pass on
| Thermopylca, the many siollo.S pa -.
! oalds of our own Lost Cause, thrilhhs
ae they arc heroic and patriotic emotions
! tho Forum. the Colosseum, the cap
! itoIina and the triumphant arches or
! Rome. No: none Of these couih i"'o'
est him SO much. or summon those pure
and ennobNng thoughts that would wen
up from his heart of hearts as ne s'oou
I'm old Westminster Abbey.
While on visit 10 the great hnsilsh
METROPOLIS | would often spend hours
walking about in the Abbey " was q
! source Of much sober recreation and sad
pleasure 10 stroll through the various
cboncls OF the dead kings ana queens
/ that had once been crowned "llhh H9
wills and then ruled over that mighty
| nation. and finally. after LIES htiul, le-
vercd dream was paat- they were lald
| here I'm their mortal dust, dshes ana ca.
| ia await the commands o. the king OF
| J<inacs." Surely the place teaches us
very many lessons Of the heetins anu
transient nature OF earthly greatness
and mower. II also teaches that the truly
! Great I'm this life are kindly and nom
orahl,, remembered after death. Their
| n.il. deeds do not die with them. Iney
! cannot be forgotten. Here quietly repose
| the Wondering remains Of great ana
bonored men and women. whose names
are written high up on the roll OF
fame" whose noble deeds in every
! snhere and relation Of human life have
/ ilumlned many proud pages IN thelr
/ countrys history
wrAtTH AND lNTEi IfcI.
And with what a glorious wealth OF
intellect is that nation endowed, which,
after centuries OF immortal names al
ready enshrned there. has in the past
! two score years had the proud, although
| the most melancholy, honor or adulhs
! In one decade-scarccly more tnan 'eA
| vears-the names Of Mac; uiay ana Irote'
Dickens. Thackeray, and Lysion. Nhii'
these honored names these gifted ones
were not our countrymen, yes they are
our CONTEMPORARIES, and We feel that sc
have some claim, al least TO a portion
Of their glory as never-facing I-ustIa-
lions OF our common language; men
! crandly speaking and writing IN our
mother tongue. And so long as we ENJOY
those unrivalled masterpieces OF thcii
genius as none others can, Americans
and Englishmen can never be quite Tor
eigners 10 cach other. though a pFoad
ocean may roll between US and three
| thousand miles may part us. IL was al
such q shrine. with its myriad OF hal
lowed associations, and all the grand anc
sacred tics aud vows that rs PAST wor-
SINNERS have left TO their nosterity
that we determined 10 renew and forever