{
 "id": "matthew-arnold/westminster-abbey",
 "title": "Westminster Abbey",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": "July 25, 1881 / (The Day of Burial, in the Abbey, of Arthur Penrhyn Stanley, Dean of Westminster.)",
 "poet": "Matthew Arnold",
 "poet_slug": "matthew-arnold",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems",
 "book_slug": "poems-1885",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 1,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1885,
  "venue": "Poems (1885)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/02652295.5119.emory.edu",
   "https://archive.org/details/02652295.5120.emory.edu",
   "https://archive.org/details/02652295.5121.emory.edu"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/matthew-arnold_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/27739",
   "https://archive.org/details/poemsofmatthewar00arnouoft",
   "https://archive.org/details/poeticalworksofm00arn",
   "https://archive.org/details/inmemoriamawrea00marsgoog"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-12",
  "corrections": [
   {
    "line": 5,
    "was": "The boon thy dedication-sign foretold,54",
    "now": "The boon thy dedication-sign foretold,",
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   {
    "line": 135,
    "was": "The Temple in the pure Parnassian gorge,56",
    "now": "The Temple in the pure Parnassian gorge,",
    "why": "A Standard Ebooks endnote marker (<a epub:type=\"noteref\">) carried into the text by extraction; not present on the printed page.",
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    "date": "2026-08-12"
   }
  ]
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 180,
  "n_stanzas": 18,
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  "longest_line_chars": 54,
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 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "What! for a term so scant",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Our shining visitant",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Cheer’d us, and now is pass’d into the night?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Couldst thou no better keep, O Abbey old,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The boon thy dedication-sign foretold,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The presence of that gracious inmate, light?⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A child of light appear’d;",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Hither he came, late-born and long-desired,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And to men’s hearts this ancient place endear’d;",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "What, is the happy glow so soon expired?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "—Rough was the winter eve;",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Their craft the fishers leave,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And down over the Thames the darkness drew.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "One still lags last, and turns, and eyes the Pile",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Huge in the gloom, across in Thorney Isle,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "King Sebert’s work, the wondrous Minster new.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "—’Tis Lambeth now, where then",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "They moor’d their boats among the bulrush stems;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And that new Minster in the matted fen",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The world-famed Abbey by the westering Thames.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "His mates are gone, and he",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "For mist can scarcely see",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "A strange wayfarer coming to his side⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who bade him loose his boat, and fix his oar,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And row him straightway to the further shore,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And wait while he did there a space abide.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The fisher awed obeys,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "That voice had note so clear of sweet command;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Through pouring tide he pulls, and drizzling haze,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And sets his freight ashore on Thorney strand.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The Minster’s outlined mass",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Rose dim from the morass,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And thitherward the stranger took his way.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lo, on a sudden all the Pile is bright!",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Nave, choir and transept glorified with light,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "While tongues of fire on coign and carving play!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And heavenly odours fair",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Come streaming with the floods of glory in,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And carols float along the happy air,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "As if the reign of joy did now begin.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Then all again is dark;",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And by the fisher’s bark",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "The unknown passenger returning stands.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "O Saxon fisher! thou hast had with thee",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The fisher from the Lake of Galilee⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "So saith he, blessing him with outspread hands;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then fades, but speaks the while:",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "At dawn thou to King Sebert shalt relate",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "How his St. Peter’s Church in Thorney Isle",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Peter, his friend, with light did consecrate.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Twelve hundred years and more",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Along the holy floor",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Pageants have pass’d, and tombs of mighty kings",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Efface the humbler graves of Sebert’s line,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And, as years sped, the minster-aisles divine",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Grew used to the approach of Glory’s wings.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Arts came, and arms, and law,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And majesty, and sacred form and fear;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Only that primal guest the fisher saw,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Light, only light, was slow to reappear.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The Saviour’s happy light,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Wherein at first was dight",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "His boon of life and immortality,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In desert ice of subtleties was spent",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Or drown’d in mists of childish wonderment,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Fond fancies here, there false philosophy!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And harsh the temper grew",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Of men with mind thus darken’d and astray;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And scarce the boon of life could struggle through,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "For want of light which should the boon convey.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Yet in this latter time",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "The promise of the prime",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Seem’d to come true at last, O Abbey old!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "It seem’d, a child of light did bring the dower",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Foreshown thee in thy consecration-hour,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And in thy courts his shining freight unroll’d:",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Bright wits, and instincts sure,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And goodness warm, and truth without alloy,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And temper sweet, and love of all things pure,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And joy in light, and power to spread the joy.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And on that countenance bright",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Shone oft so high a light,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "That to my mind there came how, long ago,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Lay on the hearth, amid a fiery ring,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The charm’d babe of the Eleusinian king⁠—",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "His nurse, the Mighty Mother, will’d it so.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Warm in her breast, by day,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "He slumber’d, and ambrosia balm’d the child;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But all night long amid the flames he lay,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Upon the hearth, and play’d with them, and smiled.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But once, at midnight deep,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "His mother woke from sleep,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And saw her babe amidst the fire, and scream’d.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "A sigh the Goddess gave, and with a frown",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Pluck’d from the fire the child, and laid him down;",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Then raised her face, and glory round her stream’d.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The mourning-stole no more",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Mantled her form, no more her head was bow’d;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But raiment of celestial sheen she wore,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And beauty fill’d her, and she spake aloud:⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "“O ignorant race of man!",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Achieve your good who can,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "If your own hands the good begun undo?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Had human cry not marr’d the work divine,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Immortal had I made this boy of mine;",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "But now his head to death again is due",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And I have now no power",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Unto this pious household to repay",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Their kindness shown me in my wandering hour.”",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "—She spake, and from the portal pass’d away.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The Boy his nurse forgot,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And bore a mortal lot.",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Long since, his name is heard on earth no more.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In some chance battle on Cithaeron-side",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The nursling of the Mighty Mother died,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And went where all his fathers went before.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "—On thee too, in thy day",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Of childhood, Arthur! did some check have power,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That, radiant though thou wert, thou couldst but stay,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Bringer of heavenly light, a human hour?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Therefore our happy guest",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Knew care, and knew unrest,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And weakness warn’d him, and he fear’d decline.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And in the grave he laid a cherish’d wife,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And men ignoble harass’d him with strife,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And deadly airs his strength did undermine.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Then from his Abbey fades",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "The sound beloved of his victorious breath;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And light’s fair nursling stupor first invades,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And next the crowning impotence of death.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But hush! This mournful strain,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Which would of death complain,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "The oracle forbade, not ill-inspired.⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That Pair, whose head did plan, whose hands did forge",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "The Temple in the pure Parnassian gorge,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Finish’d their work, and then a meed required.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "“Seven days,” the God replied,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "“Live happy, then expect your perfect meed!”",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Quiet in sleep, the seventh night, they died.",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Death, death was judged the boon supreme indeed.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And truly he who here",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Hath run his bright career,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And served men nobly, and acceptance found,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And borne to light and right his witness high,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "What could he better wish than then to die,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And wait the issue, sleeping underground?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Why should he pray to range",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Down the long age of truth that ripens slow;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And break his heart with all the baffling change,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And all the tedious tossing to and fro?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "For this and that way swings",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "The flux of mortal things,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Though moving inly to one far-set goal.⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "What had our Arthur gain’d, to stop and see,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "After light’s term, a term of cecity,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "A Church once large and then grown strait in soul?",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To live, and see arise,",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Alternating with wisdom’s too short reign,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Folly revived, re-furbish’d sophistries,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And pullulating rites externe and vain?",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Ay me! ’Tis deaf, that ear",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Which joy’d my voice to hear;",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Yet would I not disturb thee from thy tomb,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Thus sleeping in thine Abbey’s friendly shade,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "And the rough waves of life for ever laid!",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "I would not break thy rest, nor change thy doom.",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Even as my father, thou⁠—",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Even as that loved, that well-recorded friend⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Hast thy commission done; ye both may now",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Wait for the leaven to work, the let to end.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "And thou, O Abbey grey!",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "Predestined to the ray",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "By this dear guest over thy precinct shed⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Fear not but that thy light once more shall burn,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Once more thine immemorial gleam return,",
    "indent": 2
   },
   {
    "text": "Though sunk be now this bright, this gracious head!",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Let but the light appear",
    "indent": 4
   },
   {
    "text": "And thy transfigured walls be touch’d with flame⁠—",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Our Arthur will again be present here,",
    "indent": 1
   },
   {
    "text": "Again from lip to lip will pass his name.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}