The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-10
Glastonbury Abbey,
Sacred English Run,
Offered at Auction
Burial Place of King Arthur Put Up to Highest
Bidder-Death of Noted Woman
Astronomer
By LADY HENRY SOMERSET.

LONDON, Feb. at comes to us with
something of a shock to read that Glas-
tonbury Abbey. one Of the most pictures
Hque relics of medieval England, will be
sold by auction in June. II is one Of
the most ancient sacred buildings in
Ereat Britain, for the heather Saxons
21ever desecIated its affairs
As far back as the Norman Conquest
1t was rich foundation. in May. 1854
the buildings We're destroyed by fire.
and the chronicles Of Adam OF Domer-
ham give an account Of the disaster
which might have been a paragraph in
Sne OF our modern newspapers:
The beautiful buildings. lately built
by Henry Of Blois. and the church,
Fplace so venerated by all, and a shelter
Df so many saints. are reduced 20 ashes
What tears, what lamentations, what
Eroans arose as they saw what happened
and thought OF the loss they had sus-
.tained. The confusion to which their
lTelics were exposed, the loss of treas
lures, not merely in gold and silver. but
In material and silks. books. and other
ornaments OF the church, must provoke
70 tears even those who. far away. hear
of such dire events"
King Arthur's Burial Place.
Bat the monks, nothing daunted. re-
Quilt the Abbey To US, however. to-
day, the most interesting legend that
attaches to it is that it is the burial
place of King Arthur After the fire
when the monks were searching the
ruins in the southeast of the Lady
Chapel, a grave was found with this
inscription: "Hic jacet sepultus incl.tus
rex Arturius I'm insuIa AvaIonia"
The bones buried very deep down.
were those Of a man of unusual stature.
and quite near was found another sar-
cophagus, supposed 10 be the coffin Of
Queen Guinevere. ana a tress Of golden
hair was found there also. When Henry
VII eapt1red the Abbey he took from
It 1000 ounces OF silver plate. while the
income was more than 1900 pounds a
year, which in these days would repre-
sent sum with at least one zero added
10 the three.
Famous Woman Astronomer.
A remarkable woman has just died.
Miss Agnes Clerke. Her books on as
tronomy have been accepted as standard
works Of reference, and are more widely
read than any other known text books
except those Of Sir Robert Ball.
Miss Clerke was entirely seIf-taught,
and she acquired her scientific education
mainly by reading at the British NIu-
scum. Her Popular History Of As
tronomy' recorded all the works Of the
various scientific men with extreme pre-
cision and clcarness.
Sir David Gill. the astronomer royal.
seeing that the book was written by a
woman. handed it to his wife. and said
.''This will probably suit YOU" After
looking at the book for some time. Lady
Gill gave It back 20 her husband and
said: ION the contrary. I think # Will
-suit you" And the great man was
Obliged to admit that he had never
lread anything more accurate or more
scholarly.
Miss Clerke was awarded the Actonian
prize Of 100 Euineas for her second book.
land was made honorary member OF the
TE0yaI Astronomical Society. n distinc-
.tion which is rarely accorded to a
woman.