The Irish standard., 1895-01-05
4 ABODE OF HEROES:
81 Vivid Pen Picture Of Westmin-
ster Abbey by Mr. j ohn +. Glea-
s sSf son Of st. Paul Seminary.
| Ii descriptive, INTERESTING.
From Far Of Lands Come Sympa-
thizers to Pay Tribute to the
fssSs Good and Crest.

4 ;ssss,sSs sssis as dOOQ auo GT6at .E
.s*s { through the aisles of Westminster to roam.
Where bubbles burst and folly's dancing foam.
/ iNelts II it cross the Threshold
4 85@ WORDSWORTH.
Y Tt was gloomy July morning, the
sky was gray with fog and few scatter.
ing rain drops were steadily falling. I At
ter bufeting for some time against the
current Of population which streamed
forth from. Euston station, I continued
my morning walk down q long street in
quest Of that famous Abbey renowned
4 fOr ages in poetry and in song. Mpan-
while the fog had scattered thicker than
eySnoyer the greatest city in the 6orld
( nip Hing ate bright domes and glitt4riLg
towers withswith the gloomy sky. Made
impatient by by the vision of welcome
awaiting a stanger in a foreign land,
pushed on as rapidly as possible, nov
coming in collision with the bustling,
busy throng, now travelling with extreme
care, at times phusiDg to get q larger
view OF people and things, finally the
happy moment came to me when to my
pleasant surprise I caught q glimpse
from the distance of the pointed spires Of
the houses of parliament, and the abbey
towers still pointing to heaven in their
undiminished grace, grandeur and
strength.
Despite the oppressive weather, which
msde me sensible to every jar and jostle,
u pursued my walk till came to that
VERY ancient church, that solemn resting
place ot worthless of every sort, where
Epgland's dead still live though it be. in
sorsss o. stony monument, ! entered
I from From the outer court adjoining ST. Mar
8afet's chapel, which is very great in the
I $avliiew Of the western front. AS parsed
sity threshold through saxon portal of
( 4cient date, / we'll realized that I was
Tor the first time lp my life made sharsr
IN the glories OF bygone ages. Yes, the
poetic fancies Of my boyhood days passed
into realty, for I was now not only in
England but I was actually standing in
the midst Of those gloomy corridors Of
death, whose cold and silent aisles con
tanned the oongregated dust of many no
ble generations. When once we'll in this
spacious and dismal mansion of the dead
& paused and bewildered somewhat from
the myriad Of surrounding objects, which
presented to me no image, but medley
OF colors and shadows. I seated myself
upon one Of the long pews in the nave
(which, BY the way, is the highest in
England, one hundred and one feet. and
ia amazement fessted upon the solemn
scene before me. There leaning my
head on my hand I lndulged in sort Of
S;reverie about what might have been the
ancient use Of this edifce. It had evi-
IDENTIFY been Of monsstic origin built Of
IS ore for the promotion Of learning where
the patient monk in the ample solitude
5of the cloister added page to page and
volume to volume, emulating IN the pro-
ductions Of his brain the magnitude Of
the pile he inhabited. The silence and
.loneliness Of the old pile with it's fdsap
shaaowed passages are impressive, ,almoet1
spaiisnlly. There is little here to break
Sths charm Of solitude save here and there
tbs gentle whisper from the scattered
groups OF eympathizers who come from
faf of lands to pay tribute To- tbe gsadl..
and great shut up 81 their crumblinns
ttombs. Associations Of old monsstic lite
rise in rapid succession and qndistnrb-
Sdly. Every angh, arch, statue or tomb
,ofers picture - gloomy aid mystic
that words fully, translate the eemotiona
here sugaeetsss1 On every side tho eye
i struck with some instant; ;df aspiring
npbility, some naughty memorial which
human pride has rested oysr its kindred
dust As was seated IL this mnsing
mood endeavoring to grasp the many
llosed visionssof beauty and decsy, It
~ mad I heard the following words
lbrsskiins ia upon tho deep dread snd
Ioathiing q my aolituds
so,ur little TENS hsys tAsar day
ss They have their day and c. VA Ia be
They are but broken lis his 81 thS ss d
81 thou, q ait moro s6an they. q. &
leasing itlh q eucl1 lis
set out il the piritt off romance
silprst Whist L pictured g 4
MI NV 81 HI varv n,