178

ment.

the wheels are protruded, they are performed with great regularity, swiftness, and steadiness. It is by these rotatory organs, also, that they are supposed to breathe.

Some very important discoveries have lately been made by Ehrenberg in his observations on these singular beings. By feeding infusoria with very pure coloured substances, as indigo and carmine, he has ascertained the existence of mouths, stomachs, and intestines, and many interesting particulars relating to their structure and functions. But, perhaps, the most astonishing view of these animals, and of the wonders of the microscopic world in general, is presented by a recent improvement in the solar microscope-we refer to Mr. Gould's instrument, constructed under the direction of Mr. Cooper, and Mr. Cary, the optician, and the extraordinary effect of Another very singular animal, whose which is daily exhibited at No. 287, existence and habits have been discovered Strand. It acts on the general principle by the microscope, has been dignified with of the solar microscope, but is supplied the name of the Proteus, from its as-with an artificial and most brilliant light, suming so great à variety of shapes as produced by the mixture of hydrogen scarcely to be recognized as the same and oxygen gases on lime. The writer animal in its different transformations. had recently an opportunity of witnessing Its general shape bears a considerable the effect of this extraordinary instruresemblance to that of the swan, and its ment, and, without describing in detail changes are chiefly effected by its neck, the beauties or the horrors which it which it sometimes extends to a consi- brought to light from the invisible world derable length, and sometimes disposes (in doing which he would be obliged to of it altogether. It also appears to have draw very largely on the faith of his reathe power of increasing its transparency ders), he may give some general idea of or opaqueness at will. There are no eyes, the spectacle by stating that the instrunor any opening in the head like a mouth, ment magnifies three hundred thousand to be discerned; but its actions clearly times, so that a drop of water appears to prove that it possesses the faculty of vision; cover a surface of a hundred square feet! for though multitudes of other animalcules swim about with it in the same water, and its own progressive motion is very swift, yet it never strikes against any of them, but directs its course between them with astonishing dexterity.

wisdom, the power, and the providence while the other continued floating at the
of the Almighty, by discovering to us in- top. When things had remained for some
numerable orders of living beings, en-time in this condition, each of these
dowed with numerous capacities, and swarms of animalcules began to grow
provided with ample means of enjoy-weary of its situation, and appeared dis-
posed to change it. Both armies, there-
An example which partially illustrates fore, set out at the same time, the one
this last remark is supplied in the engra-proceeding upwards, and the other down-
ving prefixed to this article, which repre- wards, so that after some hours' journey
A desire of
sents a single drop of water as it appears they met in the middle.
through a microscope, peopled with va- knowing how they would behave on this
rious species of minute animals called occasion engaged the observer to watch
animalcules, of the habits of some of them carefully, and, to his surprise, he
which we propose to give a brief account. saw the army that was marching upwards
It may be observed in general of the open to the right and left to make room
microscopic orders of animals, that the for those that were descending. Thus,
smallest which have ever come under no- without confusion or intermixture, each
tice have been discovered in water. Not held on its way; the army that was going
that we may infer from this that there up marching in two columns to the top,
are not creatures of equally diminutive and the other descending in one column
size inhabiting the air, or creeping upon to the bottom, as if each had been under
the earth; the reason is simply that, from the direction of intelligent leaders.
the transparency of water, and from its
confining the creatures in it, we can more
easily bring the assistance of the micro-
scope to bear on the examination of them.
Of these, indeed of all animated beings,
the monas is the most simple. The termo
is the most minute creature of this genus,
being so extremely delicate and transpa-
rent as often to elude the highest magni-
fying powers, and seeming to blend with
the water in which it swims. Another
and very minute class of animalcules is
that which has been termed by Mr. Baker
the hair-like insect, on account of its
shape, being extremely slender, and fre-
quently an hundred and fifty times as
long as it is broad. These creatures are
so small that millions of millions of them
might be contained in the space of a
square inch. Yet low in the scale of
being as they may appear to stand,
owing both to their extreme minuteness
and the simplicity of their structure, yet
even these, in common with those orders
of inferior animals with which we are Another and a very perfect animal is
more ordinarily conversant, exhibit indi-discovered by the microscope in rain wa-
cations of sagacity, and of the formation ter, which has stood for some days in
of habits. They seem; for example, to leaden gutters, or hollows on the tops of
be fond of society; for, after viewing for houses. This is called the vorticella, of
some time a quantity of them taken up wheel-animal. Its most remarkable dis-
at random, the observer, will see them tinction is the apparatus from which it
disposing themselves in a kind of regular derives its name, and which, from all de-
order. If a multitude of them are put scriptions, would appear strongly to re-
into a jar of water, they will form them-semble the paddles of a steam-boat. They
selves into a regular body, and ascend change their shape considerably in dif-
slowly to the top. When they are we ary ferent views, but it seems pretty evident
of this situation they form themselves into that they are circular wheels, which per-
a kind of rope, which slowly descends as form entire revolutions, and are provided
low as they intend; but, if they happen with cogs similar to those on the balance-
to be near the side of the jar, they will
wheel of a watch. All the actions of this
descend upon it. In one experiment, à
creature, says an observer, indicate saga-
small quantity of matter, containing these city and quickness of sensation. At the
animalcules, having been put into a jar least touch or motion in the water they
of water, it so happened that one part instantly draw in their wheels; and it is
went down immediately to the bottom, conjec 'ured that the eyes of this creature
are placed somewhere about this appara-
hile in the maggot state its mo-
low and blundering, but, after

C. Gould's improved pocket compound mi- tus, as w
eroscope, which magnifies 62, 500 times.
tions are SA

We cannot but anticipate some important accessions to physical science from this extraordinary instrument, and we confidently recommend it to the notice of our readers as a source of much instruction and amusement.

ON GOOD AND BAD HUMOUR. THERE is no disposition more comfortable to the person himself, or more agreeable to It is to the mind others, than good humour. what good health is to the body, putting a de-man in the capacity of enjoying every thing that is agreeable in life, and of using every faculty without clog or impediment. It disposes to contentment with our lot, to benevolence to all men, to sympathy with the disfavourable light, and dispeses us to avoid tressed. It presents every object in the most giving or taking offence. There is a disposition opposite to good humour, which we call bad humour, of which the tendency is directly contrary, and therefore its influence is as malignant as that of the ether is salutary.

Bad humour alone is sufficient to make a

man unhappy; it tinges every object with its galled, is hurt by every thing that touches it. own dismal colour; and, like a part that is It takes offence where none was meant, and disposes to discontent, jealousy, envy, and, in general, to malevolence.-Reid on the Mind.

THE ORLEANS GALLERY OF

PICTURES.

THE late Mr. President West used to remark, that next to the merit of having painted a picture which should do honour to the art, and become an ornament to the state wherein it was produced, was the credit of having brought from foreign countries works of the great masters. The importation of such works tends to enrich the nation which receives them; it holds out a bright example for imitation, and rouses and calls into action the mative talents of those who feel the sacred flame of emulation.

(£800); and for the Saint John in the Desert, | af the end of which time all pictures sold were
by Raphael, he paid likewise 20,000 francs; delivered to the purchasers.
but it has been asserted that, had this last pic-
ture been indubitable, it must even at that
period have cost four times that sum, as the
works of Correggio, which cannot be placed
above those of Raphael, were paid for in that
proportion.

By the means of these various acquisitions, the gallery of the Duke Regent contained, during his lifetime, 485 pictures of the best | choice, and in the finest state of preservation. In 1792 the then Duke of Orleans, for the purpose of procuring money to agitate the national spirit, of which he always hoped ulThe irreparable loss which this country sus-timately to profit, sold all the pictures of the tained in the dispersion of the magnificent Palais Royal. A banker of Brussels, named collection which had belonged to King Charles Walkuen, bought those of the Italian and the First, a collection founded upon the sound- French schools at the price of 750,000 livres est principles of good judgment, aided by the (£31,000), who again sold them to Monsieur elegant and refined taste of the monarch him- Laborde de Mereville, a gentleman of fortune, self-the subsequent diminution of its riches for 900,000 livres (£37,500). This gentleman, in the transfer of the Houghton collection to a either as an amateur, or guided by feelings of northern Potentate-the meagre state of the national pride and philanthropy, made this collections which remained to us, in works of purchase with the sole view of preserving the the Italian school, made us strongly feel, in collection for France. For this purpose he our own case, the truth of the worthy presi- gave orders to build a superb gallery, condent's remark, and the public was prepared to nected with his own mansion, in the Rue avail itself of the first opportunity which should d'Artois. The works were already far adoccur, to remedy, in part, these heavy losses. vanced, when the storm of the revolution burst out in all its force, and obliged Monsieur Laborde, with thousands of other refugees, to seek safety in England, whither he had the good fortune to transport his collection, which proved to him a resource during this period of his misfortunes. They did not, however, stop here; for, anxious to revisit his native country, for motives at present unknown, he was recognised by the reigning faction of the day, and fell a sacrifice to the revolutionary cause.

The period was not far distant which offered such an occasion. The public mind of France had for a long time been in a state of great agitation; those best acquainted with it foresaw a storm approaching, and many, among others Monsieur de Calonne, who had been recently Minister of Finance, took an early opportunity of disposing of their valuable effects, or of transporting them into foreign states.

Others, again, from motives of a different description, also disposed of their moveable property for the express purpose of providing means for corrupting and inflaming the national spirit of the French people. Among those was the Duke of Orleans, generally known by the name of Philip Egalité, whose life afterwards paid the forfeit of his ambition.

Louis XIV. ceded the Palais Royal to Philip, his only brother, afterwards Regent of France, and by him this collection was rendered the finest and the most important private collection at that time existing in Europe. He employed some of the most celebrated artists of the day to select for him,, by purchase, the finest works of the great masters which could be procured in the various countries of Europe, while many of the minor states, desiring to pay their court to him, made presents to the Regent of such works as were likely to yield him catisfaction, or to secure his favour and protection. Philip employed twenty years of his life in forming this magnificent gallery.

Among the different pictures which were purchased for the Regent, the prices which he paid for some of these have come down to us. For the celebrated picture of the raising of Lazarus, now in the National Collection, he paid to the chapter of monks at Narbonne the sum of 24,000 francs (£970), a sum certainly much under its value even in those days, when it is considered that for the Seven Sacraments of Poussin, now in the Stafford Gallery, he paid 120,000 francs (about £5000); and it was well known that price never was the bar to the acquisition of whatever was truly excellent; the good fathers, no doubt, had their reasons for ceding this celebrated picture for zo sinall a sum.

For the Saint Roch and Angel, by A. Caracci, which was formerly in the Church de St. Eustache at Paris, he paid 20,000 francs

The pictures of the Flemish, Dutch, and German schools were likewise sold in 1792-by the Duke of Orleans, to Thomas Moore Slade, Esq., who paid for them 350,000 francs (£14,500), and who, by great management, succeeded in having them sent to this country at the moment that matters begun in France to wear the most serious aspect. This purchase was made for the late Lord Kinnaird, Mr. Morland, and Mr. Hammersley, in conjunction with Mr Slade.

The principal part of this magnificent collection, consisting of the Italian schools, was consigned, on the part of Monsieur Laborde de Mereville, to a house of eminence in the city of London; and it is believed that they were in the hands of that house when a treaty was entered into by the late Mr. Bryan, as authorised by, and on the part of, the late Duke of Bridgewater, the present Earl of Carlisle, and the Earl Gower, now Marquis of Stafford, for the purchase of that part of the collection, including also the French school, which was agreed on at the price of £43,000.

When this important purchase was concluded, which secured for England one of the richest collections, and, at the same time, one of the most valuable acquisitions which had presented itself in modern times, it was determined on by these three noblemen to select a certain proportion of the pictures for their own private collections, and to allow the remainder to be sold by private contract, under an exhibition to be made of the entire collection.

This exhibition commenced on the 26th of December, 1798, in the rooms belonging to Mr. Bryan, in Pall Mall, and at the Lyceum, in the Strand, neither of these places being, individually, sufficiently extensive to contain the collection. It continued for six months,

The pictures reserved for the original pur chasers, at their estimated valuation, ainounted to 39,000 guineas. Those sold during the sale by private contract amounted to 31,000 guineas, while the residue sold afterwards by Mr. Coxe, joined to the receipts of exhibition, which were considerable, amounted to about £10,000 more, thus leaving a valuable collection of pictures to the purchasers, as a bonus and just reward, for securing for this country so splendid a collection, and enriching it with works of the first class.

On the first morning of opening for the private view to the principal amateurs, the late Mr. Angerstein became a purchaser of some of the most important pictures in the collection, in particular of the Resurrection of Lazarus, by Sebastian del Piombo, which he immediately, and without hesitation, secured at the price demanded, of 3500 guineas. The late Sir Francis Baring was likewise an early visitor, and named a certain number of those pictures which were marked for sale, as ob jects which would suit his taste. The price demanded was 10,000 guineas; the offer made was £10,000. Mr. Bryan had no power to diminish. The worthy Baronet would not advance, and the treaty was not concluded. This anecdote, which the author of these sketches had from Mr. Bryan himself, not only proves the off-handed decision and liberality which always mark the character of a British mer chant, but the intrinsic value which was at tached to the collection itself, the proprietors not admitting of the principle of naming a price greater than would actually be taken→→→ W. Buchanan's Memoirs of Painting.

THE COVENANTERS.

FAR inland, where the mountain crest
O'erlooks the waters of the west,
And, 'mid the moorland wilderness,
Dark moss-cleughs form a drear recess,
Curtained with ceaseless mists, which feed
The sources of the Clyde and Tweed-
There, injured Scotland's patriot band
For faith and freedom made their stand;
When traitor kings, who basely sold
Their country's fame for Gallic gold,
Too abject o'er the free to reign-
Warned by a father's fate in vain,
In bigot fury trampled down
The race to whom they owed their crown.
There, worthy of his masters, came
The despots' champion, Bloody Graham,*
To stain for aye a warrior's sword,
And lead a fierce, though fawning horde,
The human bloodhounds of the earth,
To hunt the peasant from his hearth!
Tyrants! could not misfortune teach
That man had rights beyond your reach?
Thought ye the torture and the stake
Could that intrepid spirit break,
Which even in woman's breast withstood
The terrors of the fire and flood?
Yes-though the sceptic's tongue deride
Those martyrs who for conscience died;
Though modish history blight their fame,
And sneering courtiers hoot the name
Of men who dared alone be free
Amidst a nation's slavery;

Yet long for them the poet's lyre
Shall breathe its notes of heavenly fire;
Their names shall nerve the patriot's hand
Upreared to save a sinking land;
And piety shall learn to burn
With holier transport o'er their urn!
Pringle's Ephemerides.

The popular appellation of the celebrated Graham of Claverhouse, afterwards Viscount Dundee:

THE TOURIST.

MONDAY, JANUARY 28, 1833.

CIPATION.
No. III.

occupied so ably by those writers. We shall,
therefore, quote the abstract of the Reporter so
far as answers our purpose.

"When the French Revolution took place, the free people of colour of St. Domingo, THE SAFETY OF IMMEDIATE EMAN- education, petitioned the National Assembly many of whom were persons of property and that they might enjoy the same political privileges as the whites. In March, 1790, the Assembly adopted a decree on the subject, but worded so ambiguously that, in St. Domingo, the whites and the people of colour interpreted it each in their own favour. This gave rise to animosities between them; disturbances ensued, and blood was shed.

ST. DOMINGO.

THE past history and present condition of St. Domingo (now termed Hayti) have been "On the 15th of May, 1791, another decree, misrepresented to an almost unprecedented in more explicit terms, declared that the peoextent by the opponents of negro emancipa-ple of colour in all the French islands were tion. The conclusiveness of the evidence entitled to all the rights of citizenship. This which it supplies in proof of the safety and decree, on arriving at the Cape, produced an expediency of immediate abolition has secured indignation almost amounting to frenzy among it no inconsiderable portion of colonial notice, the whites. The two parties armed against and has led to the propagation of reports as each other, and camps began to be formed, opposite to truth as light is to darkness. The and massacres and conflagrations followed. advocates of slavery are fully aware that, if The report of these occurrences led the Asthe facts of this case are once fully appre-sembly to rescind the decree they had passed hended by the British public, they will go far in favour of the free people of colour. to remove those fears with which some con- "The news of this repeal enraged the peotemplate the immediate destruction of colonial ple of colour as much as the former decree bondage. had done the whites, and hostilities were renewed. On this, the National Convention resolved to readopt their former decree of May, 1791; and they appointed Santhonax, Polverel, and another, to repair as commissioners to St. Domingo, with a large body of troops, in order to enforce the decree and to keep the peace.

46

Hence the diligent employment of a perverted ingenuity, and a wide circulation of the basest falsehoods. The public judgment has been thus misled, and the apprehensions of the misinformed and timid have been awakened. Were we to admit the correctness of our opponents' representation, we should be far from acquiescing in the soundness of their During the interval which had elapsed conclusion. The question which we have to from 1790 to the time of their arrival in 1793, determine is not whether a slave population the island had presented a dreadful scene of can, with advantage to themselves, break away carnage, caused by a civil war, not only befrom their bondage by means of a protracted tween the whites and the people of colour, and sanguinary war, but whether a country, but between the different parties of whites. enlightened like our own, cannot, with safety And it was at this time, namely, in 1791 and to the slave, abolish the degrading and cruel 1792, before the emancipation of the slaves system under which he suffers. Though a had been contemplated, that the great masslave population may be incompetent to legis- sacres and conflagrations, which make so late wisely for themselves, it does not follow frightful a picture in the history of this island, that the British nation may not institute such occurred; and all of which were caused, not enactments as may render their translation by giving liberty to the slaves, but by quarrels from servitude to freedom not only innocuous between the white and coloured planters, and but beneficial. But we are by no means dis- between the royalists and revolutionists, who, posed to shrink from an examination of the to wreak their vengeance on each other, called facts of this case. Though not necessary for in, indeed, the aid of their slaves. And even our argument, we are fully prepared to show as to the bodies of armed negroes who then that the abolition of slavery in Hayti, notwith-filled the north, in particular, with terror and standing the unfavourable circumstances under which it took place, has been productive of incalculable good to the whole negro population-that, so far from their condition having deteriorated, it has undergone an almost unprecedented improvement. In the present paper we purpose giving a brief sketch of the history of the abolition of slavery in Domingo "In the year 1793 the same divisions and -the effects which followed, and the present conflicts continued, notwithstanding the arricondition of the community. Mr. Clarkson val of the commissioners; and, on the 20th of has anticipated us in his admirable pamphlet June, a dreadful commotion took place at on The Necessity of Improving the Condition Cape François, the seamen and the white inof the Slaves, &c., so that we have little more habitants being ranged against the people of to do, in the early part of this paper, than to colour, who were afterwards joined by the inabridge his account. This has been done al-surgent blacks. The battle lasted two days; ready in No. 70 of the Anti-Slavery Reporter, the writer of which remarks, "We could not do justice to our cause more effectually than by abstracting a great part of his (Mr. Clarkson's) statement, having first taken the pains to verify it by a reference to the authentic documents from which he has drawn his materials." It would be but an affectation of originality were we to go over the ground which has been

dismay, Malenfant affirms that they were ori-
ginally put in motion by the royalists, in order
to put down the revolutionists; and that even
when Jean François and Biassou commenced
their insurrection there were many white roy-
alists with them, and the negroes wore the
white cockade.

the arsenal was taken and plundered; some
thousands were killed in the streets, and more
than half the town was burnt. The commis-
sioners, who were spectators of this horrible
scene, and who had tried in vain to prevent it,
escaped unhurt, but were left upon a heap of
ruins, with little more power than their com-
mission gave them, having only about a thou-
sand troops at their command. They deter-

mined, therefore, as the only way to restore order, and to maintain their own authority, to call the slaves in the neighbourhood to their aid, promising to give freedom to all who should range themselves under the banners of the Republic authority for emancipating any part of public. This was the first proclamation by any the slaves in St. Domingo. The result of it was, that in the north a very considerable number of them joined the Republican cause and became free.

"Soon after this transaction, Polverel, leaving Santhonax at the Cape, went in his capacity of commissioner to Port au Prince, in the west. Here he found things quiet, and cultivation flourishing. He also visited the south. He had not, however, been long there before the slaves, having become acquainted with what had taken place in the north, were so excited that he was convinced their emancipation could not be prevented, nor even long retarded; and that it was necessary for the safety of the planters, as well as for the public peace, that it should be extended to the whole of the slaves in the island. Accordingly, in September, 1793, he issued a proclamation to that effect, dated from Les Cayes. He exhorted the planters, if they wished to avoid the most serious calamities, to concur in the measure. He caused a registry to be opened to receive the signatures of those who should approve of it; and it is remarkable that all the proprietors in the south inscribed their names. He then caused a similar registry to be opened at Port au Prince for the west, and there the same disposition was found to prevail. All the planters, except one, gave in their signatures. While these measures were in progress, in the month of February, 1794, the French Convention passed a decree abolishing slavery throughout the whole of the French colonies. Thus the Government of the mothercountry confirmed the freedom bestowed by the commissioners, removing all doubts of its validity, and completing and consolidating the emancipation of the whole slave population of St. Domingo."

Here it becomes us to pause, and to enquire with all seriousness and impartiality: What were the consequences of this measure? What were the effects of this sudden and entire Emancipation of about 500,000 slaves. These slaves it must be remembered were not spread over twenty colonies, but were located in one. They had not been subjected to any preparatory process, but were at once set loose from the absolute authority of their masters, amidst all the violence and barbarity of a civil war. In such circumstances we should not have been surprised, if much temporary evil both to the master and the slave had resulted. But we have unsuspected testimony to the contrary. Colonel Malenfant, who resided in the island at the time, gives us the following account of the conduct of the negroes.* "After this public act of emancipation," says he, (by Polverel,) "the Negroes remained quiet both in the South and in the West, and they continued to work upon all the plantations. There were estates, indeed, which had neither owners nor managers resident upon them, for some of these had been put into prison by Montbrun; and others, fearing the same fate, had fled to the quarter which had just been given up to the English. Yet upon these estates, though abandoned, the negroes continued their labours, where there were any, even inferior, agents to guide them; and, on those estates where no

• Mémoire Historique, &c. p. 58.

white men were left to direct them, they betook themselves to the planting of provisions; but upon all the plantations where the whites resided, the blacks continued to labour as quietly as before." And again,* "If," says he, you will take care not to speak to them of their return to slavery, but talk to them about their liberty, you may with this latter word chain them down to their labour. How did Toussaint succeed? How did I succeed also before his time in the plain of the Cul de Sac, and on the plantation Gouraud, more than eight months after liberty had been granted (by Polverel) to the slaves? Let those who knew me at that time, and even the blacks themselves, be asked. They will all reply, that not lay single negro upon that plantation, P. 125, 3 p. 78, 4 p. 311.

consisting of more than four hundred and fifty
labourers, refused to work; and yet this plant-
ation was thought to be under the worst dis-
cipline, and the slaves the most idle, of any in"
the plain. I, myself, inspired the same ac-
tivity into three other plantations, of which
had the management."

Such was the conduct of the negroes during
the first nine months of their liberation, or up
to the middle of 1791. The same author in-
forms us, "the colony was flourishing under
Toussaint. The whites lived happily and in
peace on their plantations, and the negroes
worked for them." Now Toussaint was ge-
neral in chief of the armies of St. Domingo
from the end of 1796 till 1802. Malenfant
therefore means that throughout this period
the planters kept possession of their estates,

that they lived on them peaceably, and that the negroes worked for them.

General Lacroix, also, who published his Memoirs for a History of St. Domingo" at Paris in 1819, tells us that when Santhonax returned to the colony in 1796, "he was astonished at the state in which he found it." "This," he says, 66 was owing to Toussaint, who, while he had succeeded in establishing perfect order and discipline among the black troops, had succeeded also in making the black labourers return to their plantations, there to resume cultivation." The same writer tells that wonderful progress in agriculture was made in 1797. "The colony," he says, "marched, as by enchantment, towards its ancient splendour; cultivation prospered; every day produced perceptible proofs of its progress." (To be Continued.)

WELLS CATHEDRAL. THE Cathedral Church, dedicated to In the upper ranges of the central comSt. Andrew, is a magnificent cruciform partment are the statues of the twelve structure, principally in the early style of apostles, in a series of lofty niches sepaEnglish architecture, with partial inser-rated by slender shafts; and in the range tions of the decorated and later styles. immediately beneath them are figures of The foundation was laid by Wiffeline, the hierarchs, below which is a sculpsecond bishop of the diocese; and the tured representation of the resurrection, edifice was completed and improved by in alto-relievo. The entrance, which is Bishop Joscelyne, in 1239. The west through a deeply-recessed arch, is flanked front is a striking and superb combina-by the western towers, of which the lower tion of stately grandeur and splendid embellishment; the whole of it, together with the buttresses, by which it is divided into compartments, is replete with elaborate sculpture, from the base to the summit, in successive tiers of richly canopied shrines, containing the statues of kings, popes, bishops, cardinals, and abbots; the mullions of the west window, and the lower stages of the western towers, are similarly enriched; the canopies of the niches, in which these figures are enshrined, are supported by slender-shafted pillars of polished marble, and the intermediate spaces between the several series are filled with architectural ornaments of elegant design and appropriate character.

stages are comprised in the general de-
sign of the front, and the upper, which
are wreathed with pierced parapets, are
relieved by fine windows, and with lofty
canopies rising from the buttresses. The
central tower, which is one hundred and
sixty feet from the base, is crowned with
a pierced parapet of elegant design, and
decorated with lofty angular pinnacles
surmounted with vanes, and with smaller
pinnacles in the intervals; though of
large dimensions, it has an airy appear-
ance, from the proportionate size and
elegance of the windows. The interior
displays some specimens of the early
English style, which are of unfrequent
occurrence, and equally remarkable for

simplicity and elegance. Of this character are the nave and transepts; the former, one hundred and ninety feet in length, is separated from the aisles by a beautiful range of clustered columns and finely-pointed arches, above which are a triforium of lancet-shaped arches, and a fine range of clerestory windows, in which elegant tracery, in the later English style, has been inserted; the roof is finely groined, and the great west window is embellished with ancient stained glass of great brilliancy. The choir, which is in the decorated style, and of very elegant character, is one hundred and eight feet long from the organ-screen to the altar, beyond which is the Lady Chapel, fiftyfive feet in length, both forming parts of one general arrangement, which, for beauty of design, and richness of architectural embellishment, is, perhaps, unequalled; the piers and arches are of graceful proportion; the roof is elaborately groined, and the windows are of beautiful symmetry, and enriched with tracery of peculiar delicacy. There are numerous chapels in various parts of the