A VISIT TO LONDON   1


[The following interesting sketch we are kindly permitted to publish from a letter written to her mother by our young friend, EDITH ANDREWS, niece of ELD. J. N. ANDREWS, whom she accompanied to England.]

I WILL not attempt to describe the beautiful scenery through which we passed on our journey from Glasgow to London. 

To appreciate England, you must see it, in its robe of deep, rich green. One is often reminded of the lines,"Sweet fields arrayed in living green, And rivers of delight."

The climate is very different from that of America. The air is cool and damp, and it seems as natural for it to rain as for the sun to shine.

At London we were met by Elder Jones and another gentleman, who had made arrangements for us to remain a week in the city. A part of the time we spent with the family of Elder Jones, and we enjoyed our stay there very much. They did all in their power to make us happy, and gave us much assistance in visiting the various places of interest.

The next day after our arrival, Elder Jones, Elder Andrews, and myself, with several other friends, started to visit Westminster Abbey. We sailed up the Thames from London Bridge to Westminster Bridge, and then walked the remaining distance, on our way passing the famous obelisk, Cleopatra's Needle. On reaching the Abbey we first took a view of the exterior of the venerable pile. To say that it is a most elaborate building is saying very little. Like England itself, Westminster Abbey must be seen, to be appreciated. It is believed to have been commenced in the early part of the seventh century, so, you see, it is very ancient. We pass through the little old-fashioned doorway, to the interior, where the first thing that strikes the visitor is the immensity of the place. It appears larger than it really is, owing to the dim light which is permitted to enter through the deepstained glass windows. The building is in the form of a somewhat irregular cross. Its length is 511 feet, and the extreme breadth 203 feet. The height varies from 100 to 140 feet, while that of the towers is 225 feet. This will give you some idea of its size; but, as I said before, you must see it in all the gloom by which it is continually haunted, if you would be impressed by its vastness and grandeur.

The Abbey contains a large number of monuments and statues of distinguished persons. The north transept [that part of the building which forms one arm of the cross] is set apart to military heroes. The north aisle is lined with naval heroes, surgeons, statesmen, etc. The south aisle is devoted to professors of theology, bishops, deans, etc., and to fill up the space, statues of a few military notorieties have been introduced, among which, is a monument to Major Andre. The south transept is called "The Poets' Corner," and there are monuments to most of the English poets of any note.

The British sovereigns, from Edward the Confessor to Queen Victoria, have been crowned in Westminster Abbey, and many of them are buried there, some with, others without, monuments.

Perhaps the best idea I can give you of the architecture of the place will be found in the following words: "It is the admiration of the universe; such inimitable perfection appears in every part of the composure, which so far exceeds human excellence that it appears knit together by the fingers of angels, pursuant to the direction of Omnipotence."

Leaving the Abbey, we walked over to the houses of Parliament, but had to content ourselves with a view of the exterior. They are most magnificent buildings, far surpassing anything in New York City. On Friday morning, in company with afriend, I visited the Tower. This is a collection of buildings formerly containing a state prison, but now used as an arsenal and a repository for various objects of public interest. 

We were first shown the armory, in which is every style of arms, from those used in the time of Adam to the most modern invention. Of course, the veritable stone and sling with which David slew Goliath is not to be found here, but they have one like it. There is, however, a large collection of very ancient arms which really did belong to the heroes to whom they are ascribed. Every known nation has been made to contribute to the vast stores which are here exhibited. In Queen Elizabeth's armory there are 65,000 stands of arms ready for use at any moment.

We saw the slate prison room; the block and ax; the instruments of torture; the green where Lady Jane Grey was beheaded; the place where the children of Edward IV. were buried by their uncle, Richard III., who had murdered them in order to obtain the crown ; and also the place where the same villain stabbed Henry VI. We were next conducted to the crown jewel room, which contains jewelry to the value of £6,000,000, or about $30,000,000. Queen Victoria's crown is a magnificent and costly "bauble," the jewels which it contains alone being worth $500,000.

In the afternoon we visited Crystal Palace, and on our way crossed London Bridge. 

The descriptions of the latter structure are perfect, and I saw just what I expected,such a crowd of people that we could hardly crowd our way through them. Crystal Palace, a building made of iron and glass, is filled with statues, birds, animals, plants, and everything to make it beautiful. We passed a very pleasant afternoon there.




 





  A VISIT TO LONDON  2


THE next day, which was the Sabbath, we spent at Mill Yard, where three services were held in the chapel. This is the last of the old Seventh-day Baptist churches in England, and is supported by property left for the purpose many years ago. The chapel and adjoining parsonage stand on a miserable street, but you seem to be in another world as soon as you pass through the high gate; for the house is very neat and tidy, and before it is a lovely green grass-plot. 

This is really an old grave-yard, but it contains only a few tombs. Elder Jones preached at the chapel in the morning, and Elder Andrews for a short time in the afternoon, to about forty persons. Then the audience were invited out into the pleasant green yard, where a lunch had been kindly prepared by Mrs. Jones, that all might stay to the service at six o'clock.

On Sunday we went in the morning to hear Mr. Spurgeon. I liked his sermon very much. He is a large, fleshy, pleasant-looking man, and is a good speaker. In the afternoon we went to the Abbey, to hear Canon Farrar. The sermon was   excellent, and they had fine singing; but many of the ceremonies performed in connection with the service looked very strange to me.

Elder Jones took us on Monday to the British Museum. If you are a geologist, a botanist, a naturalist, or an antiquarian, you may here learn all that you desire to know in any of these departments of study. The library connected with the institution is one of the largest in the world. We saw so many interesting things here that it is impossible for me to describe them.  In the afternoon we went to Smithfield, where John Rogers and other eminent martyrs were burned at the stake in the reign of Queen Mary. Afterward we visited John Wesley's church. I stood in his pulpit, sat in his chair, and saw his tombstone. We also saw the stone, which marks the grave of John Bunyan.

On Tuesday we visited St. Paul's Cathedral. I can give you no idea of the grandeur of this vast edifice. Over the entrance is sculptured in solid marble a representation of the conversion of the apostle Paul. 

On entering the Cathedral, as on entering the Abbey, immensity is the first idea that suggests itself to the visitor. Like the Abbey, it is crowded with monuments. After seeing the body of the church, and attending service, we paid a sixpence to be admitted to the library, the whispering gallery, and the clock. The whispering gallery extends entirely around the base of the cupola, and is 140 feet in circumference. 

It is so constructed that the faintest whisper is heard on the opposite wall, at a distance of 140 feet, as distinctly as if it were uttered close to the ear.

This visit ended our sight-seeing in London. I enjoyed it all very much. But oh, the horrible sights one sees here! They made me sick at heart. I am thankful that my home is not in this great city.




EDITH ANDREWS.