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London: Isbister & Co. Ltd.

15 16 Tavistock Street Covent Garden

MDCCCXCVII

+A 2437, 3.5

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Westminster Abbey

o those who have neither eyes to see, knowledge to understand, nor sen

sibility to enjoy, a visit to Westminster Abbey is too often a blank of dulness and disappointment. But what such a visit might be to a man of universal knowledge, unlimited interest, and complete sympathy, no one can understand; for no single person possesses or can possess the consummate culture which would be requisite for the reception of such full impressions.

Let me try to catalogue some of the varied regions of delight and interest.

First, there is the religious symbolism of the building. Its structure is by no means accidental. Down to the minutest particulars it is "a theology in stone." Its prevalent number is three-triple height, triple length, triple breadth-to remind us of the doctrine of the Trinity. Its other predominant numbers are four-the number of earthly perfectness, the signature of the world, and of divine revelation; and seven -the signature of the Covenant, and of the seven spirits of God, and of the seven pillars of the House of Wisdom. Its structure is cruciform to remind us of the Atonement. Even the geometrical designs which lie at the base of its ground plan are combinations of the triangle, the circle, and the oval-the symbols of the Trinity, of Eternity, and of the saintly aureole. It would require the soul of a mediæval theologian or a mediæval mystic to take in all the rich significance of these elaborate emblems which extend even to the minutest details.

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