The Irish standard., 1895-01-05

venerable old pie You WILL ma 30 man.
specimens Of noble maanfioence tia
they forciblY arrest the attention AMI
carry thoughts not only TO other age
but other states Of existence The man.
tombs covered with names and touching
inscripti Iesent simple but strik
ing instapase d Df the eSspo ontaneous and uni
versal houna of a aankind to Tie great o
every see and every land. It is in lonely
wanderings through such scenes thai
the mind drinhY deep but quiet draughtt
Of inspiration, and tecomes intensiblJ
sensible. of the great mysteries Of life and
death. AS paced the cloisters some
times reveIpg in q mute and almost in.
communicable luxury Of thought, and
sometimes endeavoriny to decipher the
inscriptions on the tom bstones, many o1
which formed the pavement beneath my
feet, my eye was attracted by the rare
beauties of the North Transept which
was known formerly az Solomon's Porch.
In the doorway ITSELF is figure OF Christ
blessing the Church and the world, with
the twelve apostles below and 9 process
sion of which the left half represents the
arts led by tbs Church, while on the
right legislation, war and science are led
by. Edward the Confessor, Henry Ill.
and Richard IL In the centre below is
q figure Of tho Virein holding Christ in
her arms. In. the inches above are thirty
two figures. Those above the side door
ways are four abbots distinguished for
their services to the abbey. In the next
row Of carbels taken in the same order
are Bede and Theodore, st. Alban and
St. Aidan, ST. Augustine and Paulinus,
st. Benedict and st. Dunotan, st. Boni-
face, Edmund the Martyr, Roger Bacon
and Bishop Robert Groetete. There are
also four figures at the top representing
the four archangels, Michael, Gabriel,
Raphael and Urlel This I considered a
grand display il art, such as we admire
ia the paintings Of Raphael. After stroll
ing about for some time 7 was courte-
ously received BY the Dean Of the place,
who with all the civ1lity OF a real gentle
man conducted mo to that part of the
Abbey which contained the sspulchers
of the kings. III would call the readers
attention to some Of the most important
chapels within whose precincts England
has honored her kings and heroes in the
triumphs Of monumental art. Ny tour
over the diversified chapels began with
the little chapel dedicated to ST. Bene-
dict. This saint was the founder Of the
Benedictine order to which the monks Of
this Abbey belonged. Edward the Third,
in 1859, gave the Abbey the saints head,
which he had brought with him from
France. The chapel has no door and
the general visitor has no access to it.
In this chapel are buried besides many
remarkable personagea, Simon Lang
ham, Archbishop Of Canterbury, and
Cardinal Bishop OF Praneste, and for
merly Abbot Of Westminster, died in
1876. Through venerable vaken screen
/ next mounted into the chapel dedi-
Gated to Sc. Edmund whom the Danes
killed a D. $40. when king Of East
Anglia Little can be recalled Of the
histories Of those who rest here. The
earls, bishops and titled ladies ara not
distinguished from others Of their class.
The tombs; however, arrest our attention
q yestigss 81 ancient art. Inext as
oended the steps leading into Henry the
Sevenath s. q chapel. It is hardly necessary
to ohserys that this chapel is the richest
specimenin existence Of that peculiarly
English style, commonly known as the
Tudor sty and of that very remarkable
kind of saalting known as fair tracery
@4dlting which is also peculiar to Eng
land. In this chapel is the tomb Of the
monarch himself which is built after the
Roman style. On the tomb, one Of the
statellest and daintiest IN Europe are the
efiRies of Henry and Elizabeth, his queen,
with hands raised to heaven for mercy.
III q chapel near by lies the famous
Cromwell who died ID 1858. Whilst
passing ISwopld say that the installation
81 the Knights Of the Bath take place in
Henry the Seventh's chapel. The last
occurred il 1872. The banners Of the
knights 'are suspended above the line Of
s,cnlptural angels. The effect of.them Is
,su pompous mp and grand, but they very much
conceal the soul lptpre abova as we'll as
the srohiit tecture q the chapel and the
30 general ;yiis And how could 1ps,ss
over Us sliilence the lovely and unfortu-
Il, n,ate lpeen off scots, who was be-
hessi111 kby the naughty Eliza beth, a. p.
1851 81 sd could sshington Irving
81 the .alls q Elizabeth' . sepul-
cl,,I IN annually echo with the sighs Of
,I,1 ayiap 5 heard at the grave g her rival.
Yet5 has been victorious over
Sc botb haa brought down the op.
80 Iprs = ~ lsa o i level With the oppressed;