Year: 1873

From the New York Post.l


Dean Stanley, in his admirable worl


on Westminster Abbey, betrayed to- the


world the frightful condition Of the char.


mel vaults containing the tombs of the


Stuarts-how the decaying collins were


thrown one upon the other in hideous


confusion, the whole interior Of the


vaults recalling the scene which The


morbid fancy of the terrorstricken
Juliet conjures up when she is about to
drink the sleeping potion. 1t now ap-
pears that tombs of the Plantagenets
are in much the same condition. This
royal family was inferred in the Abbey
of Fontevrault, near Samus on the
Loire, which, in the middle ages, was
one of the wealthiest and most cele.
brated of monastic institutions. In that
abbey lie buried Henry III and Queen
Eleanor, Richard Ceur de Leon and
Queen Isabella OF Angouleme. At the
time of the revolution the royal tombs
were despoiled, though the monuments
we're not much hurt At present the
abbey is used as a prison, the royal
chapel is partitioned off into dormito-
ries for prisoners, and the tombs have
been removed to dark side chapel 1t
is proposed that the French should
either restore the abbey or present to
the English nation the tombs aud re-
mains of their ancient Kings, to be
placed in Worcester Cathedral, or some
other appropriate place.


The tourist in England will remember
that King John sleeps in the choir of
Worcester Cathedral directly before the
high altar. In 1891 the tomb was ex
amined, and the remains of the King
were found dressed precisely as repre-
sented in the efiigy on the tomb A
correspondent of the London Times
complains that this effigy has lately been
gilded from head to foot, although it is
authentically known that it originally
was painted so as to represent the King
ain his habit as he lived namely: in
crimson dalmatic lined with green,
yellow tunic, red hose, golden spurs with
blue straps, and black shoes.


The tombs of the Bonaparte family at
Napoleon st. Leu will now have a Gu
rious interest for travellers, and it is in
teresting to speculate as 10 whether Ma.
poleon Ill will ever rest there. Should
his son ever succeed in reaching the
throne there will be a formal translation
of the remains from Chiselhurst to
France. Even should the Bourbons
triumph it is not likely that they would
refuse to permit the body of the dead
Napoleon to repose in the soil of France.
Louis Philippe accorded this grace to
the mortal remains of Napoleon |, and
his example will probably be followed
in the case of the nephew of his uncle.
Even the republic could scarce refuse
this boon, which will probably be sought
as soon as France has a stable govern
ment.


The last crowned head to lay low in
the dust was that of the late King of
Sweden, who rests with the other mon
archs of the Bernadotte dynasty in the
vaults of the Riddarsholm Church at
where the vast velvet and
gold covered sarcophagi stand on pc
destals seen dimly in the cold, gray
light, which is scantily admitted through
barred windows. The coffin of the last
Gear. of Russia is kept exposed TO view
in particular spot in the island church
of st. Peters, in the Russian capital. |
From the windows of the Winter Palace
the spire and roof of this fortress
guarded church is in full view across the
Neva. The Romanofs can always see
their tombs, and the Emperor knows the
exact spot where Nicholas lies until
shall come to take his place.


The ancestors of the Kings of Italy
are all buried at Turin, and no arrange
ments have been made which would in
licate that the house of Savoy intend
their burial.place to Rome.
The Popes of late years have been buried
n st. Peters, though their tombs are
indeed to be found in all parts of Italy
and at Avignon. The present Pontif
has selected his last resting place before
he altar of the Basilica OF Santa Maria
Naggiere.


The tombs of kings in all parts of the
world are kept as show places, and are
.asily accessible to the curious tourist.
The only royal tomb which visitors are
lot permitted, on any terms, to behold,
s that of the late Queen Dowager of the
3elgians, in little old church at Lac
ZEN, near Brussels; but, when the royal
omb in the splendid new church at Lac
zen are finished, the coffin of the ex-
queen will be removed to the new place
f sepulture.