Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-08-16
Special correspondence to the HERALD
Notes of Foreign Travel.

gave lis a few days of great pleasure IN
the way of visiting art galleries, muse
ums, libraries, and last, but by no means
least, St. Georges Hall, where we heard
the great organ speak under the hands OF
an accomplished London organst.
Our next move was to Northampton
which we made headquarters for fort
night, amply enjoying many delightful
social pleasures and reunions, the while
participating in the perpetual feast that
England is to me since | first touched its
shores for may as well acknowledge.
as leave YOU to guess. that have been
enamored of England with love that
grows stronger day by day as one at
traction after another untods itself before
me. To ME the whole country seems one
vast and beautiful garden No one spot
more beautiful than another except IN
the constant variations which unfold
themselves as by a turning of a kaleido-
scope. The constant alienation of hill
and dale, valley, hedge and stream; the
magnificent trees with their growth OF
centuries; the substantial homes swathed
to the tops of the chimneys in their luXu-
rance of ivy; and all this wealth OF
landscape stretching for miles without
one single flaw or blotch or unsightly
object upon its perfect surface seems to
me like the realization of poets dream.
/ think lived in dream the many days
we passed in this beautiful midland
county-a dream which was in con-
slant fear would pass away. The beau
tiful old churches with their centuries OF
history springing up around you; rising
from the crypt where sleeps the dust OF
generations; speaking from the towers
which have shaped themselves in accord
ance with the traditions of the years in
which they raised themselves toward
heaven; and more than all, crying in
voices that will not be hushed from the
walls that bear in every nook and Granny
the impress of the generations they have
seen pass away. Oh! that l might
place by the power of the pen some of
these magnificent old temples before you
as they are craven on my mental retina
for ever. The arches and arches unfold
ing and multiplying as you penetrate one
after another. The carving and tracery,
whether in wood or stone, rich, mex
III, al.
ton, and richer far in their historic as
sociations; and the scul ptured tombs
and tablets bustS and brasses commem-
Grating those who have ages ago passed
away, many who have aided in the max
ing and the history of this mighty en-
pire, and some, as shall later tell you
who have left their impress on a land
beyond the sea.
Northampton had so long been as.
sociated in my mind with Bradaugh the
inconocast, and his less admirable col.
league, Labouchere, that l was unpre-
pared to find in it so many ancient and
historic churches crowded with devout
worshipers. Our first morning service
was in beautiful modern church, just
completed, but the evening took us
through fields and park to the old chapel
of the ancient abbey of Abingdon, OF
which a portion of the monastery still
remains, and we penetrated later the old
Saxon churches of Kingsthorpe and St
Peters, given by William the Conquerol
to his wel-beloved Norman Knight
Simon de st. Liz. These churches hav,
many archways in the "dog-tooth" trac
cry of the Saxon age, besides much thai
stamps accretions OF gothic architecture
In the Kingsthorpe Church we found foul
old books, chained to desk, three vol
unes of the original "Foxs Book O
Martyrs" and a hand-illumined copy o
the Holy Scriptures. The old St. Sepul
chres at Northampton is one of the fou
round churches of England, built on tn
model of our Saviour's tomb by the low
ing followers of the Cross who CAV
their lives in the Crusades.
With the desert ption of one more of tn
churches near Northampton will pas
on. A short railway journey in the direc
ton of Althorp Park, the residence Q
Earl Spenser, and long walk through
the Spenser demesne--where the slee
black cattle lay lazily chewing their cut
in the warmth and beauty OF the summe
afternoon, and the mild ewes looked a
us with sleepy interest devoid of a
timidity-brought us to the door of TIL
Great Brington Church, the parish churc
of the Earls Spenser. The origin of TIL
church is far back in the annals of Saxo
and Danish rule, and bears many COZ
elusive evidences of both dynastes. Til
font is complete piece of roug
sculpture, illustrating the designs of bot
races as well we'll as the more gracef,
notifications of the Norman era: an
the seats, of black oak, time eaten an
battered, partially restored as some hav
been by the noble family which holds TIL
living in trust-one we were shown ha,
ing been inlaid as cunningly as any mosa
with eighteen pieces of new black oak a