New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-09-05

period. lifted the English stage TO nati0ral Dig
nifty and shed around il halo Of lasting re-
nown 1t Was a singular almost ar ironical
freak Of nature, operating by tho accident Of
birth that twned with Carriers nanie the Far
less noble though always picuant and interest
ing name of Nell Gwynnc The house Of her
birth has been demolished, and no trace Of Il
remains, but. strolling southwark toward the
river, after evening service I'm Hereford Cathr-
dral, ! presently found myself In Gwynne-st..
q sornbre little lane running o. the walls OF the
Bishops Palace, and named after the royal
favorte, and | the mural record Of the
actress who ruled tho King IN those merry
Stuart times which were so mournfu over
three hundred years ago
The daY IS waning over :ne links and fans ~
the Wye as leave It. at Ross and speed away,
by Grange Court toward the Severn and the
sea. 1t Is sunset az Newman. and soon the
famous river hroadens and the Wild tracts Z
sand that fringe its banks show themselves.
bleak and desolate. beneath the gathering night.
NY haven is Chepstow. and In the stiffness and
comfort Of the Beaufort Arms | pass a little
time Of slumber and longer time Of thought.
while the lonely moments lag onward. and. hour
By hour the church bell beats out their requiem.
Glad morning is at the Severn mouth. and
over all the green hills and hard white roads Of
wind-swept fragrant. glisten:ng Monmouthshire.
end am standing in he pulpit OF rock upon the
wooded summit OF the Wyndclife. and one Of
the richest and sweetest prospects that opulent
! England can furnish ia spread before me. i'm
| blaze Of green and gold. All uHd and stretch
! ing miles away, are thickly wooded hills. Ii
front lies the peaceful. sunt valley Of the Wye.
/ the little river curving here. ana making a
sneularly perfect fan. which stand a manor
! and church. and every foot If which Is cult
| waited sot that it blooms with verdure and
! plenty. to the waters edge Beyond this fan Of
many -colored earth. and the furthest shore Of
! the stream. rise the shattered gray towers and
! gloomy battiemen;s Of Chspetow Caste. famous
among the most picturesque ruins u this realm.
! and still a living witness 10 the many and
| strange vcissitudes OF its fortune during seven
centuries f teening life. Around Il are clustered
/ the pleasant habitations Of the charming town.
More distant CLEANS the broad Severn-wh!th
/ here receives the tributary waters OF the Wye
while far away eastward. shines the vide eX-
/ panse Of the Bristol Channel. through which con
t!nuay Gibbs and flows one Of the miCf'iest of
| Atlantic tides. The Gay il uncommOnly clear,
/ and all this vast and gorgeous pageant. re-
splendent under a dome OF sapphire. IS only
| darkened and then by the fleeing shadow
| Of cloud. swiftly driven by the summer gale.
on side look toward Berkeley darby
/ famous for the savage slaughter OF King and
! on the other side toward Clevedon. 50 hallow'd
| by the sepulchre OF poet in yonder castle Che
hand Of murder stilled the heart OF Edward The
| Second in yonder church upon the lonely I'LL.
! was laid the dust Of Arthur Hallam Touching
! in itself. this marvellous and memorable scene
is also touching for wha; II encloses and re-
veals. and part from II from something
always to be loved and never to be forgotten.
The path Is downward through dense bird
haunted thickets the mountain slopes and
through quaint. cavernous. erotto-lke moss
! cottage at the roadside. and soon az | drive
along the valley OF the Wye. a flood Of sunshine
streams upon the gray and rudy stones OF Tin
tern, and behold the loveliest monastic ruin In
| all this stored land. The ruin Of Fountains
| Abbey.-at quaint and venerable Ripon.-is more
| impressive for the attribute Of grandeur. more
stimulative TO the imagination. and. in rs Sc
/ questered ard desolate lOGcness, more touching
to the heart. but Tnte-n possesses every attri-
! butte Of tender grace and evciv charm 81 poetic
/ beauty. Only the walls remain Of crucform nave
( and transept. with cloister. chapter-house. re-
/ fectOry. and a few adjacent rooms: but these
remnants, almost uniform in architectural style
present symmetry OF proportion. an elegance
| Of simplicity. an opuence Of detail, and lovely
lghtness Of effect. for which II would be we'll
nigh impossible 70 find a parallel. The church
must have been the perfection Of the stately per-
/ pendicular. The tracery OF its windows is Of the
/ most fascinating delicacy.-the south window
| in particular. being OF such just proportion and
| such winning character that the eye fingers upon
tas II enchant ed. As you sit beneath that superb
easement while the huge broken masses Of white
| clouds drive swiftly overhead. and the brilliant
grass and the white daisies ripple at your feet
YOU will try 70 shape. IN fancy. some image o
this beautiful abbey. as It looked 10 the Cister
clan monks who built II six hundred years ago
The natural scene around It il practically, un
changed The sweet and placid river still bah
bles round the promontory on which 1t is built
The wooded hills arise and spread away. to en-
commas and shelter II, either hand. But FOL
the tiny street Of dwellings that struggles alont
upon the riverside, the modern craft afioat II
the stream the cleared lands adjacent. and per
hans an infreouent sound OF travel. you migh
think yourself living In Plantagenct days.
This IS a place given wholly to careless indo
lence graceful disorder perfect cleanliness. stu
ness repose and peace. The stones themselves
seem 10 have fallen asleep. Great shrouds OF "!
have covered some OF the walls. and when IN
breezes softly futter them, you think or SUM
herring dreamer stirring in his dream by a splra
stone staircase in the north transept II Is possi
Bile to reach a considerable height,-indeed' u
the summit OF the nave, across when there Is
dizzy passage. and the explorer VIII be wei ~
warded with the view. Such forms such trac
cry, such carvng.-they are the work, not OF ski
only but OF love- and looking on this wonder o
ruined beauty you feel once more the grea
vital final truth that everything which Is pre-
cious in art. in literature. and in life. Is born
selr-sacrffce and reared in spiritual devotion. !
= is yet bright daylight when | look my last Of
Tintern Abbey and whisper farewell Many
wear have lonaed to see It. Many dream o
!. have I cherishcd-thinking Of Wordsworth