The Washington herald., 1909-06-06
BARRED FROM ABBEY
Dean of Westminsters Control of Englands Wahaa;
Apropos.of George Meredth's Exclusion.

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else OF their duties OF trusteeship in the
Abbey How otherwise IS IL possible 10
explain the presence within its walls OF
the tomb Of John Broughton. profess
sional pUgilist OF the eighteenth century.
who kept one OF the most dlsreputabIe
resorts in TOttenham Court road, and
who has sometimes been described as the
father OF prize fighting in England? Then
there Is the tomb Of Thomas Parr, an
iiliterate Shropshire farm servant. whose
only title 10 fame was that he attained
the extraordinary age Of 152 years. and
lived to see ten rulers succeed one an
other on the English throne. dying in
1875. and being buried in the Poets Cor
ner. Alphra Behn, playwright novelist.
SPY, and deni-mondaine in turn. likewise
reposes in the Abbey, as does also Mai
Andre, while the infamous Tom Thyme
OF Ten Thousand" has a MAGNIFICENT
monument there.
OF the best-known deans Of Westmin-
ster Abbey In modern times has been
that father Of English geology, the Very
Rev. William Buckland. who before hav-
ing his mind wrecked by much learning.
became the subject OF all sorts OF anus
ing stories in connection with his ex-
traOrdinary absences of mind. during one
Of which he inadvertently swallowed the
dried-up heart OF King Louis XIV Of
France. which was being passed round
after dinner for the inspection Of the
guests by a well-known peer. who had
purchased II. along with the silver reli-
quarry containing IL, when the churches
and the Abbey OF St Denis were sacked
by the mob In the great revolution Dean
Buckland who was busily engaged In
conversation when it was put into his
hands. transferred Il to his mouth before
any one could stop him. under the i'm
preston that II was a flbert. which. in
deed, Il resembled.
Another dean was Samuel Wflberforce.
son Of the abolitionist, and popuIarly
known as "Soapy SAM" by reason Of
his courtly and suave manner He died
as Bishop Of Winchester. and would have
become Archbishop OF Canterbury had il
not been for the prejudice which his
mordant and rather worldly wit created
In the mind OF the late prince consort.
and. consequently, in that Of Queen Vie
tOria.
Then there was Dean Trench, who died
as Archbishop of Dublin. Dean Stanley.
who paid a memorable visit 10 the United
States; Dean Bradley, and then the pres
ent incumbent Of the Office Dean Arrni-
sense inferior 10 any Of those that I have
mentioned. who Is the personal choice
OF King Edward. and popularity regarded
as destined for preferment 10 the pri-
macy OF the death Of the present Arch
bishop or Canterbury.
Dean Robinson. who is likewise lord
High almoner of the sovereign. and as
such one Of his principal spiritual adviS-
ers, created sensation some three years
sgo by publicly prOclaiming his disbelief
in the Scriptural story 90 the effect that
Balaam's ass on a memorable occasion
became miraculoUsly endowed with the
powers OF speech, a question which, II
may be remembered. only last year
threatened 10 disrupt the entire Jewish
religious education board in Great Brit
ain, Lord Swaythling. better known as
Sir Samuel Montagu. the greatest He
brew philanthropist in the United King
dom, demanding the retirement from the
board OF the eminent Jewish scientists
including Israel Abrahams. professor OF
Talmudic literature at the University Of
Cambridge, because they discredited the
miracle in question
Dean Robinson IS unmarried. He grad
uated with high honors from Christ Col
iege, Cambridge, in 1881. became. four
years later. the dean OF his college and
Norris professor Of divinity; acquired
during the fifteen years which he spent
as such at Cambridge a European fame
for his knowledge of early Christian lit
erature, and thereby commended himself
OF the notice Of the chancellor Of the uni
versity, the late Lord Salisbury. who.
when premier, secured for him the stall
Of a canon of Westminster Abbey.
The attention Of the king was drawn
toward him on the occasion OF the
coronation II seems that when the time
came FOR the crowning Of Edward VII II
was found that the only person who had
taken the trouble 10 master the intricate
ritual and ancient traditions OF the
coronation service, traditions extending
over 1000 years. was Canon Armitage
Robinson.
II may be recalled that King Edward
10 great extent directed what may be
described as the stage management OF
the coronation, and this brought him into