The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-12
my IA MAnouIsE DE IrnNTENoY.

| ~ NE by one. tho most cherished
Gds,p.ysl i pIna;a are 1slns
ain. and also In this country.
have Arrays been taught 10 believe
that the so called Stone OF Destiny"
seated on which all the Kings OF Eng
land have been crowned In Westminster
Anney. aimee the reign OF Edward T..
was the original stone on which Jacob
slept when he drcamt of the celestial
ladder. II has been impressed upon
us that It was brought from the Holy
Land to Spain. and from spain to Ire
land. where 1t was used In connection
with the coronation OF the Irish Kings
on the I'M OF Tarn. from there 10
which now belongs to the Duke OF
Argyll, and from thence 10 the Abbey
Of Sconc. where for 500 years all tho
Kings OF Scotland were crowned on Il.
until 1895. when Edward /. OF Eng
land carried II of TO London He en-
eased u In an oaken chair or throne.
deep. and with seat two feet four
Inches wide. Tho stone, itself which
Iron Ire chains; Is twenty;-six inches long
hnlf inches deep. The top is fiat.
Now on tho eve OF the coronation
or King George. more than six cen
turtles later, Professor Sir William
Mitchell Ramsay. one OF the most emil
nent scientists or Scotland and whose
Iamc as nm nrcha cologist extends over
tIie NC w, W ora, as well as the Ola, ap-
pears upon the scene, and having
brought all his knowledge to bear up
on the subject stoutly declares that
the Stone OF Destiny was never brought
from the Holy Land. since there Is no
stone OF TINT particular kind Mt Bethel
where Jacob dreamt his dream, and is
said TO have used the stone for a pill
low The professor, indeed. declares
that there Is no stone OF that particu-
lar kind In Palestine nor vet In Spain.
nor still less. anywhere In the neigh
nj h. -
But he points out that the stone rs
identical with that dull reddish, or.
rather purplish, sandstone which was
extensively used in the construction
bears the same marks OF the chisel MS
the stones that. still figure among Che
ruins. OF the castle. In fact. ne Insists.
the Biblica! and the Irish legends lin
connection with the Stone OF Destiny
are mere myths. land that It's origin
times when the Scottish Kings were
crowned at Dunnstaffnage Castle. be-
fore the scene of the coronation was
| moved to the Abbey OF aconc
Sir William Ramsay will have to face
good deal OF Indignation on the part
or his countrymen In connection with
This destruction OF their most cherished
Illusion: PIECE Of historic iconoclasm
on a part with that OF Isaac Iselin OF
Basle-ancestor of the Tselins Of New
norkIWho proved ina similar fashion
OF Switzerland. was mere creature
of fancy, and also a myth For so
great has been the veneration Of the
scotch people for the .stonc that they
have always considered 1t indispensa BILE
| 10 the Sovereignty over their nation,
recalling King Kenneth's couplet:
Or Fate is blind. or Scots shall find
Where ere this stone. the royal
Thirty two years after King Ed
land the Scots insisted on the inser-
lion in the treaty Of Nortla mpton of
IL clause stfpulating that It should be
issued a writ to have the clause put
Pinto execution. But he changed his
mind afterwards. and the stone has
remained ever since In Westminster
was encased by Edward 7. is In a
badly damaged condition. The Latin
! Inscription, was lost centuries ago. tho
ancient painting and gliding have dis
arches are missing. Whenever IL coro-
ma ton has taken place. the stone has
been, covered with cloth of gold which
npholsterers haze not SCRUBBED to, fas-
1 Ten to the chair with tacks and nails.
| Indeed. here has been so little re-
| verence for the chair itself that at
the time OF the first jubilee of Queen
ENictoria an attempt was made 10 smB :
| ten up. this ancient chair of state by
/ means OF coat of varnish, and only
parliamentary Intervention prevented
| this act Of vandalism &.
King George and Queen Mary have
announced their intention OF making
fIolyrood Palace a place OF residence,
1 TO actunllyf i've there since the reign
OF that J<lne James VI. OF Scotland who
I 'hnGa mo James J. of ENGLAND, and oflthe