The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-25
THE POETS, CORNER IN
WESTMINSTER ABBEY.

BY MATTHEW u. Il

Back into the dim and dusky precincts
of the past extend the annals Of West.
minister Abbey, highlands royal burial
place, and coronation hall, where repose
the ashes OF unnumbered mighty dead,
where from Norman William to Edward
VII, British sovereigns, seated On the
Stone OF scone. we're invested With the
symbols Of dominion.
What time liron the Isle OF Thorns, IN
Thames mid-stream, Apollo's Temple fell
where lay the bones Of mythical Bladud
or Bath or legendary Lucius. FOUNDER ~
81 Peters here; or x seberts purlai
In this sacred soil, are matters inuch -ou'
secured In mists or ancient history. Io
led ward the Confessor, last OF Saxon Inc
and first OF Norman, belongs the honor
or rounding Westminster Abbey. lmpelled
III thereto by his vow to visit st. Peteris
grave at Rome. from which tho Pope re-
teascd him on condition OF his erecting
IA his own land Il memorial to that saint.
w hat more fitting site than the ruined
Saxon cd!nce, benring the Apostles name
In the Thorny Isle, or the bosom OF the
lordly Thames. hard by the e.owing clty,
and blessed with Il sandy, healthiulg SOL
and sweet springs OF pure water! Leg.
q ends galore cluster about the foundation
of."Thc Collegiate Church OF st. Peter,
as first II was called. sufhce the facts
that fifteen years In building, upon IT was
spent one-tcnth8 OF the properly OF tne
kingdom to make 1t a marvel OF It's klnd.
lYct scarcely was the sacred edllce dedi-
ca led ere the royal founder succuinbed to
mortal sickness on the 9Th of January,
1856. and himself lies buried In the centre
OF the great memorial. MN,
Such is the story or the Foundation OIL
the stately cditlce, upon whose massive
towers and overwhelming bulk the WISH
Tor, mindful OF Its great antiquity, gazes
In reverent awe. THE vast political
pagennts. OF which 1t has been the
Theatre. the dust Of the most Woridiy
laid side by side with the dust OF the
most saintly. the wrangles Of divines or
81 atesmcn, which have disturbed It's sa-
cred peace, the clash OF arms which nave
pursued fugitive warriors and pines into
the shades of It's sanctuary. even the
traces OF Westminster boys who nave
S,,,a ycL n5its c]loisters and inscribed their
names on. It's walls, belong to the story
pfthe Abbey no less than Its venerable
beauty, Its solemn services and It's loiy
aspirations"
once within the sacred pile the strang-
cr's wandering steps lead to Poets Cor
ner. which occupies the end OF the south
q II transept II have always observed, @
writes Washington Irving, that the visi-
tors TO the Abbey remain longest about
ne simple memorials in Poc.s Corner.
n kinder aud fonder feeling taxes me
place OF that cold curiosity or vague ad-
1nIration with which they gaze on the
splendid monuments OF the great and the
Heroic. They linger about these as 8 bou.
tilc tombsG OF friends and companions"
IRON a single tomb-that OF Geofrey
Cnaueer In the year 4oe-tne Spot oerlycs
the origin of its peculiar glory. Favoritc
OF Richard IL, whose goodwin Henry
his successor continued Chaucer was
In q sense a member Of the Royal House
Ibid. at the time of his death occupying
u tenement within the precincts OF the
Abbey. which circumstance secured re-
pose for his remains at the entrance 70
81. BenedicCs Chapel, where Junction.
Yaries Of The Monastery were beginning
10 be inferred. Originally only u pam
slab marked the grave, even this being
sawn up when Drydenis monument was
erected, and It was mot for one hundred
and nifty ~years-until the reign Of Ed
ward VI.-that the Gespresent tomb was
raised, containing originally a. portrait
or the poet. now replaced by "a painted
window above with his medallion ana
scenes from his life and poems.
Thithcr was borne Edmund spsnser'
first Of that splendid galaxy OF Eliza
Dsthnn poets who graced her Go!den
Reign. What a funeral scortege.E IN winch
attended Beaumont, Fletcher. Jonson'
and In all probability Shakespeare nm,
Self. The great spenser keeps lac entry
OF the church In a plain stone m but
his works are more glorious than allfthc
marbles and brass monuments w...tn.'
Loud was the cry that the Bard OF
Ayon$should find his resting plnce-When
ne died in the year '16l6-aHong SUCH
roodiy company; but he lies buried at
Stratford. Who Indeed could read the
POETS own anathcma on any: s'Vho
should move his bones or dig his dust,
ara have the temerlty to disturb his resti
BeInted recognition OF his genius, row
ever, in the following century-in l14o-
prompted the erecton OF NE s.ntut ~ -
adjacent aisle. y,
Ben Johnson's title to interment In tho
Abbey was, by virtue OF youth and Old
are alike, connected with Westminster.
Being born In the neig hborhood. educated
q, the school, and his last years spent
under the shadow OF st. Margarets
n Church close by. IT Is said he petltloned
king Charles i. on one occasion Tor a
boon. Whatsis 1T" said the king tive
me eighteen inches OF square grounds
"Nhere?'', asked the king. In west
minister Abbey,' replied johnson. This
is one explanation of the story that he
was buried standing upright. Another Is
that he might be the more ready for
ne resurrection. He lies In the north
aisle OF the nave, with this inscription on
him. In a pavement square OF blue mar
bic: 90, rare Ben Johnson To-day tho
stone is fitted into the wall, while the
medallion In Poets Corner Immediately
adjolns Sponsors. BY a mistake OF the
sculptor the buttons were set on the lelt
side of the coat. Hence this epigram:
20. rare Ben J%ohnson-What, q turneoat
Thou ne'er vast such till clad in stone;