New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-07
POETS CORNER.
Westminster Abbey and Its Most
Famous Poet.*

with reproductions Of It's more hotao'o
monuments. A chronology OF the poe's
and writer's whose memorials have been
placed in Westminster Is also auue''
the cover lining OF the little volume Deins
a clever plan Of Poets Corner WIN uie
location of each memorial plainly markeu,
and adding not little to the interest Vi
the book
Dean Farrar says that to those who nave
neither eyes to see. knowledge to uhder-
stand nor sensibility to enjoy WISH u
Westminster is often a great disappoiht-
ment Nor. he adds. can we quite appreci-
ate what a visit to such a building might DE
to a man Of wide knowledge, great interest,".
and deeply sympathetic nature. could all
these qualities be. united in single ihui'iu
ual. He also reminds US of the varieu APP
peals the building makes to US; first through
Its religious symbolism, the structure OF the
building being, down to its smallest Details
theology in stone" the whole conveying d
meaning "only the soul OF a medlae'a
theologian or mystic could thoroughly u"-
derstand. Next comes the sciehtlhc anu
architectural interest Of the building the
intelligent architectural student seeing al
once TO what age its various details oeiong'
so that the Abbey with its exquisite pro-
nortions. becomes an epic in stone Next
follows the Abbeys poetic and sentimental
interest thoroughly to realize which one
must have the mind and soul of poet.
Next. the interest OF the busts ana mo'u-
ments forms a new attraction. the sculptor
being able to trace in this one building the
rise. the fall, the decadence. the revival oi
English sculpture. from the lovely efiigy Oh
Ayeline Of Lancaster, through the COARSE
blubbering cherubs of the reign of Anne.
and the heavy cassicalities of Gibson. and
the false taste Of Roubiliac, down to such
fine statues as the bowed prisoner of Flax
man and the Viceroy Canning OF
Foley"
Then, too, added pleasure at every step
would be gained by thorough knowledge OF
history, every inch OF the Abbey being
classic and historic ground. Here stood
Shakespeare and Ben Jonson and NARROW
when they flung their pens and their verses
upon the coffin of Spenser. Here Samuei
Johnson bent in tears at the funeral OF
Oliver Goldsmith; here sat Charles the
First all In ill-omened white satin. at his
coronation; here little Prince Alfonso, son
OF Edward l., hung over the Tomb of the
Confessor in golden coronet Of Llewellyn,
Prince of Wales: here stood Henry vi. half
dazed and marked for his grave the place
where he was never destined TO lie; here
also sat Queen Victoria on the day of her
jubilee
In such fashion does Dean Farrar impress
upon us the age and dignity Of Westminster.
its interest for the antiquary, who sees in
ob
over for lack Of knowledge; dwelling upon
the spirit In which the building must DE
approached to get the greatest benefit from
q visit to IT, He tells US St Margarets, the
parish church was built close to the Abbey
to serve as a scale by which to measure
the size of the other edihce; the former hav-
ing been built for the use Of the people, the
church services being all held at st. Mar
garet's while the choir Of the Abbey was
used as the chapel Of the 3cnedictine
monks its nave not being intended for wor-
ship but only for great national and eccle-
siastical professions. Dean Farrar also
takes up and describes ia detail the different
portions OF he Abbey including " limo
cents Corner" because only children lie
buried there
Dean SANKEY'S account Of the South
Transcpt. more Familiarity known as Poets
Corner. with al the delightful associations
cNnging around it, forms an interesting
chapter: the first poet to be buried in this
portion OF the Abbey being Chaucer. who
had held q place I'm the royal household.
The present monument TO Chaucer. how
ever. was not erected until some time dur
Ing the reign of Edward VI The next
great man 10 lie here was Spenser. who re-