with long gowns, who take visitors around and point out the objects of
greatest interest), I roamed about at my will. The first monument that
attracted my attention was the venerable shrine of Edward the
Confessor, in the chapel of St. Edward, once the glory of the Abbey,
but which has been much defaced by persons who were desirous of
obtaining a bit of stone from this famous tomb. In this chapel I saw
also the old coronation chairs, in which all the reigning sovereigns of
England, since Edward I. have been crowned. They are queer,
old-fashioned chairs, made of wood, and not very comfortable, I
imagine. The older of the two chairs was built to inclose the stone
(which they call Jacob's pillar) brought from Scotland by Edward, and
placed in this chapel. Many other interesting tombs are to be seen
here, and the floor of the chapel is six hundred and fourteen years
old!

[Illustration: TOMB OF HANDEL.]

I next visited the chapel of Islip, built by the old Abbot of Islip,
who dedicated it to St. John the Baptist. One very interesting monument
there was to the memory of General Wolfe, who fell, you remember, at
the battle of Quebec. His monument is a very beautiful piece of art. It
represents him falling into the arms of one of his own soldiers, who is
pointing to Glory, which comes in the shape of an angel from the
clouds, holding a wreath with which to crown the hero. A Highland
sergeant looks sorrowfully on the dying warrior, while two lions sleep
at his feet. The inscription reads as follows: "To the memory of James
Wolfe, Major-General and Commander-in-Chief of the British land forces
on an expedition against Quebec, who, after surmounting, by ability and
valor, all obstacles of art and nature, was slain in the moment of
victory, on the 13th of September, 1759, the King and Parliament of