WESTMINSTER ABBEY. 3 Tradition gives to the site a Temple of Apollo, destroyed by an earthquake in the fifth century. Sebert, King of the East Saxons, about 616, founded here a church, which was consecrated, according to a Romish legend, by St. Peter and a host of angels! About the same period, St. Paul's Church was founded by this King Sebert, and was known as the East, and St. Peter's as the West, Minster -the present name of the Abbey and its surrounding district. The western church having been nearly destroyed by the Danes, it was restored by Edgar in 958. Edward the Confessor pulled down this structure, which was probably of wood, and rebuilt the Abbey of stone with much magnificence, completing the same in 1066. One hundred and seventy-nine years subsequently, Henry III. conceived the idea of outdoing his predecessor, the pious Edward. For this purpose the Abbey was again pulled down, and reconstructed with a richer endowment. The work was continued by succeeding. sovereigns, and Henry VII. finally added to it the beautiful chapel in which he sleeps. In the Abbey thus commenced by the third Henry, what stores of wealth are to be found! Each step is hallowed with association, for slumbering around lie those whom England delights to honour-her best, her greatest men. Kings have walked through these aisles to receive a crown, and have again returned to mingle "dust to dust," even as the fifth Harry came after his long pilgrimage, bringing back the battered casque he wore at Agincourt. Here are the monuments of Editha and her husband the Confessor; the benevolent Matilda; the cherished Eleanor and her warlike Edward; the haughty Elizabeth, with her persecuted cousin, whose beauteous neck felt the blade at Fotheringay. are decided in these sacred precincts, a Fox, Canning, Wilberforce, Sheridan, fully within a short distance of each present mission relates to "Poets, Pain We therefore seek the chosen 66 sons of song are so dearly allied : Corner "Come, I'm counsel for the poets, enter ye t Chaucer, Shakspeare, Milton, Dryden, answ name; Ye, that with unfailing genius bade humani With dominion in your voices, and with emp Ye, that with heroic daring sought the peop Seeking to o'erbridge the chasm 'tween th success. Humanism more expansive, 'twas for this y Equal justice for the lowest, equal laws, and On entering the south transept of as "Poets' Corner," we turn to the rests on one of the most interesting renowned spot. The fine old piece before which we stand is the tomb of t in the Abbey, GEOFFREY CHAUCE This minstrel, who combined in him rarely belong to one individual, stand master-spirits of his age. To him we the "Father of English Poetry," ascr the rise of the graceful art in this cou born in London, and in the reign of GEOFFREY CHAUCER. 5 the first year of that of his successor, was clerk of the king's works at Charing—the site of the present National Gallery, and once occupied by mews, which, from a very early period, were used for the reception of the royal falcons. Our poet was a frequent guest at the Palace of the Savoy, when possessed by John of Gaunt. Here were passed some of his happiest days, and here were composed some of his finest poems. But Chaucer had his troubles. He was connected with the struggle which arose between the sovereign and the city of London, having reference to the city's election of its own chief officer. But little is known of the details of this contest; but Chaucer was prominent amidst the popular party in the city, and for a time thought it wise to absent himself. In 1386 he ventured to return to London, and approval of his conduct was marked by his being returned to Parliament for Kent. Only think of a poet being returned as a county member! but this was in the fourteenth century. By this popular feeling, however, in favour of Chaucer, the ire of the government was roused against him, and he was, in consequence, deprived of his office of comptroller of the customs in the port of London, and was likewise arrested and sent to the Tower. Here he remained in confinement for three years, and touching are some of his lamentations : —“For riches, now I have poverty; for dignity, now am I imprisoned; instead of power, wretchedness I suffer; and, for glory of renown, I am now despised and fully hated." Chaucer regained his liberty in 1389, and was restored to his office. He was at one time clerk of the works at Windsor Castle, to which appointment Campbell thus makes reference : "But should thy towers in ivied ruin rot, There's one-thy inmate once-whose strain renown'd For Chaucer loved thy bowers, and trod this very spot. Our morning star of song-that led the way Of Spenser's light and Shakspeare's coming day." Chaucer died in 1400, but he left behind him (in his "House of Fame") a prophecy of the palace of glass in Hyde Park, in which the nations assembled in 1851. Three years later and its successor was reared at Sydenham, in which thousands have gazed upon the sculptured effigy of Geoffrey Chaucer. The borough of Southwark possesses a relic of Chaucer. In the High-street is a gateway opening into the yard of the Tabard, which time has degenerated into the Talbot Inn. Here is still preserved somewhat of its ancient character, and the quaint wooden balcony, the grey walls, and the dingy balustrades speak of the ancient hostelrie at which the poet informs us he lay, nearly five hundred years since, "Redy to wenden on my pilgrimage To Canterbury with devout courage." The Tabard of the fourteenth century stood upon this spot; and, although the buildings must have been frequently repaired, their general character has remained unaltered, whilst no proof exists of the inn ever having been pulled down. There are reasons, then, for supposing that, along portions of that gallery, Chaucer himself may have walked ! To return to Westminster Abbey. The second poet buried here, on the other side of the entrance, is a worthy successor to the first EDMUND SPENSER, the author of the "Faerie Queen," whose monument has the following short but beautiful inscription:-" Here lies, expecting the second coming of our Saviour Christ Jesus, the body of Edmund Spenser, the prince of poets in his time, whose divine spirit needs no other witness than the works which he left behind him." Spenser, like his great predecessor, was born in London about 1553. It is probable that his parents were in humble circumstances, though he was connected with the noble family of the Spensers of Althorp, in Northamptonshire. Gibbon exhorted this distinguished family to "consider the 'Faërie Queen' as the most precious jewel in their coronet.” It would seem to be so considered, for in the library at Althorp there is a portrait of Spenser with the following inscription : "The glorie of the noble house." Chaucer has been designated the " day starre and Spenser the "sunrise" of English poetry. The latter, whilst at Cambridge, gave evidence of poetic genius. Quitting the University, he became for some time a tutor in the family of a relative, and married an accomplished lady, to which circumstance we owe many of his sweetest poems. It was in Ireland that he wrote his Faërie Queen," which became at once the delight of every accomplished gentleman, the model of every poet, the solace of every scholar." From Ireland the poet escaped with difficulty the flames lighted by an infuriated mob, and in which one 66 66 |