New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-25
THE DEAN OF ELY.
.rrc CLOSING LECTURE.


TIA r,ear ~ Ely ended his course OF Lectures |"
.,o rvcoun, Theatre yesterday, with another gu.
ooursa an the great Cathedral with wnlcn nc
associated and which is the centre OF :" MAJ
historic associations and Impressive "e
--be attendance was large and the address'-cop'
ously illustrated with fine lantern snoe p'o'
Unmarried much useful knowledge IN a most 49,
- manner In its substance this lecture was
c,a,r and picturesque portrayal OF the ac'usA
averv day life OF the Benedictine Mohhs III 80
fourteenth century. In Its style IL ""9 Wy
ooIoouial and eloquent: and. alike In meaning ana
manner It was a delightful work OF art roI
thread Of narrative the speaker gave a or'ei Wv
anhicaI account Of Alan de Walsinghan, "ao
S,,i. tho famous lantern tower OF Ely, ana "no
NO. PRIOR of the Monastery there at the ui"e y
bis death Upon this thread were huns the 1e"e.
~ the lecture,-chief among them perhaps 80
tho tribute to the Black Monks, the beneu'S'."
q, long ago, who built the finest houses eve 49,
=, r,no,ond and whose patient and incessan' ser
80 70 relieon literature art, and every o'h7.
,,rr,zino agency saved for England mucn tna'
roa hest in the Past and largely coht'iou'eu "
Guard ennobe and beautify the He OF the -.
snt In the Deans figure or speech-anu nv -
LID he more appropriate or more tencieou'
o t poredictines whose monasteres ana
Ithraries were often devastated by the sa'"e
Norsemen were like a great oak WHICH W." ~,
t-nnohas have been torn and rended away, seeks
No revenges and makes no reprisais' out o'''' P
foliage
The customs OF the monks were illustrator "
,+,ors setting forth their daily fare and the COST
q, ,t-as shown by the records. still e1tahl !" t'
imminent room OF the Cathedral-for "eeA' ~
c,sely Ave hundred years ago. Al that .lhle nc
were forty-sx monks in the monastery Oh ETY. Oh.
the cost OF feeding them. for that week. was aoou'
ons hundred and twenty dollars OF the American
o,oy n, today Some Of the customs or that
r.noote time in Ely still prevail at its CatheoraL
The Chapter meets to-day Novemoer |'!' sh1
among the officers to be elected Is the uaiO
tonsor" whose business II was TO shave ,he ne
Of the brethren. Ave centuries ago no
Waterman Jus. now" said the Dean. ana ..
r,,ght not distinguish himself as a hair-cuttef'
The continuity of old usage In England Is one -
tho great charms of the country. as all OLD ua'
ellers know and Ely is one OF the places "n''
many quaint manners still survive-eveh as '.
do I'm Ripon and Devices. and Hereford ana Hish'
another ancient and storied city OF that opu'eh'
realm The Bishop OF Ely, who resides IN u,
Cathedral Close must still obtain the consent Q.
the Dean whenever he intends TO remain on. "
the Church precincts after 10 o'clock at night i"'
humor as we'll as the quantness OF such Things
appreciated by the Dean. and his happy facuiy ',
blending touches OF playfuness with learning a''1
eloquence lends a peculiar charm 10 ms o'soou
II is no common privilege to hear such a speaker
American travellers too often miss the greatest
benefits and the most exquisite pleasures that Eng
land can afford for lack OF precisely such teacuns
and guidance as given IN these lectures OF 'n'
Dean OF Ely. and 1t is much to be hoped accoiu-
ngly that he will receive careful attention Wherever
he goes In the cours now ended the Dean mas
| spoken OF Shakespeare. Milton. Lowell. the ldea
| Woman Of the Poets. and Ely Cathedral,-dehver
| ing six lectures within three weeks.-and he mas
| shown himself TO be acute thinker an orator Oh
unaffected force and simplicity. and man Oh
| singular grace and charm. Such he has long oeeh
| esteemed In England, and as such he Is no longer
| stranger In America. w. w.