The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-21
WAX WORKS AT WESTMINSTER.
A Curious Collection of Emgies OF
Rare Interest.
From the Scientific American.

From the Scientific American.
Westminster Abbey is the last place
where one would expect to find collection
of wax works. and many of those who
know the abbey quite well will be sur
prised to learn that the historic building
contains a collection of wax works of alb
sorbing interest. and of greater authentic
ity than those exhibited at the celebrated
Madame Tusauds also In London Either
because the authorities of the church are
ashamed of this collection. or because they
fear to have Il injured il is shown only on
the flee days by an order from the dean.
The collection is preserved in a chamber
or gallery over st. John the Bapust's
chapel, and access to 1t is gained by a
modern fight of stairs which cover the an
Gent stone steps. They lead 10 the old or
atory or chantry chapel where the wax
efigles have been collected since about the
beginning of this century They are pre-
served In glass cases and are vulgarly
known as the Ragged Regiment" and
also as the PLAY of the Dead Voks"
The additions to this rather homogeneous
side-show occurred only after the death of
the ilustrlous people they represented. The
funerals of notable men and women gener-
any look place ny toTtHllEHlt anu II was
not until the eighteenth century that IL
was abandoned. To the spectators of these
professions the chief object of interest
was not the coffin Of the deceased but the
"herse" which was borne before Il. This
name has nothing to do directly with the
funeral carriage of to-day but the name of
The modern vehicle Is derived from the old
er "herse" which was wooden platform
decorated with black hangings, bearing a
Of hn cd nh
mains were about to be consigned to the
tomb The head Of the defunct monarch,
statesman or warrior was modelled In wax,
and an efigy was built up and clad in the
actual garments worn by the deceased In
his or her lifetime, but embellished with
false gems When the coffin had been de-
posted in the vault. the wax effigy was
either placed over the tomb as a sort OF
Temporary substitute for a stone monu-
mont or in some other convenient spot.
They usually remained as a pageant in
the abbey for about a month; in the case
OF sovereigns, for a longer period. In the
abbey the royal effigies can be traced back
to the 14th century. The origin OF the GUS
tom Is unknown, but II Is surmsed that II
was derived from the Roman habit Of in
PRODUCING into the funeral procession of
notable lay figure representing the an
cestor Of the deceased. The old English
had mania for making wax figures, and
the populace was always sure 10 turn out
en- masse when II was known that there
would be an efflgy in evidence, There could
be nothing more homogeneous and grew
some than the appearance of the abbey
when these figures were scattered around.
but now they are preserved like geological
specimens which takes away from their
| horror. and they are only interesting and
amusing The wax images which now exist
are eleven in number, and the attention is
| naturally directed to that Of Queen Eliza
beth The weird figure sits bolt upright
bedecked with quantities of paste jewels
| and in her right hand she holds scepter
| and in the left an orb. Her shrewsh face
| as represented In the etfigy would I'M
! doubt edly be an arch-authentic, portrait. If
| Il were not for the fact that the figure
| was restored in 1850 so that the face is
| probab bly, a copy of that on her tomb. The
! original figure which was carried at her
funeral was quite worn out in 1903. the
! only remains of the robes being "a dirty
! ruff At any rate. the restorers were
true 20 tradition. because her majesty Is
| attired in an extravagantly long WASTED
dress. with which her numerous portraits
have made US familiar and springing from
! the bodice Is a pair Of immense panniers.
which support a ponderous velvet robe,
! covered with gold embroidery, and around
| her neck Is a curious spreading ruff, stiff
| fened with wire, and from this descends
the long, straight, stiff bodice made sitter
| and heavier by o mass OF r~h silver Crn-
! broidery At a respectful distance from
| the mighty queen is Charles II. He is GER
! tatuly the most amusing ofigy IN the col
| lection. He looks as though he were in
| The last stages Of inebriety and as the
| face was probably modelled from death, il
! IS Of historic importance.
The merry monarch" is clad IN a Gu
rlous robe OF red ana blue velvet, sorely
! faded from rs ancient ap!cndor: his pro-
fuse locks are topped BY hmp-iooking
| hat with a tawdry feather. The efgy OF
| Charles II stood for two centuries over his
| tomb 10 the south aisle Of the Henry
! VII chapel. and formed his only mon
umcnt The words which will be noticed
/ across The picture were written on the
! Tbs IS any proof OF popularity. the "mor-
| ry monarch retains his winning ways.
| even na a wax figure. Tho most dinnlncd
ngure Is that Of the duke OF Buckingham
| ughtaH u rTTmfuhfuf fIfla Ia TAu4a4nl