447a Pugin, \ugusUis Wclbv. Conlrasts; Or, a Parallel between the X'ol.l. 
 Edifices ot'the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries, and Similar Buikhngs ui th. 
 Present Day; Showing the Present Decay of Taste. IV, 50pp. text, etched 
 frontisp'ece and 15 etched plates. 4to. London. Printed for the Author. 1836. 
 
 FIRST EDITION. Fowler 265. 
 
 , thr hi.^ 
 
 / of 
 
 -' mal'iiui 
 
 $275.00 
 
 Uhich Middeldorf 
 
CONTRASTS: 
 
 OB, 
 
 H parallel 
 
 BETWEEN THE 
 
 NOBLE EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES, 
 
 AND 
 
 CORRESPONDING BUILDINGS OF THE PRESENT DAY; 
 
 SHEWING 
 
 THE PRESENT DECAY OF TASTE, 
 ^ccompamcb appropriate %txl 
 
 By a. WELBY PUGIN, Architect. 
 
 JOHN GRANT 
 31 GEORGE IV BRIDGE 
 
Digitized by tlie Internet Arcliive 
 in 2013 
 
 littp://arcliive.org/cletails/contrastsorparalOOpugi 
 
 THE (iEHY CENTER 
 LIBSAfiY 
 
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 The author gladly avails himself of the opportunity afforded him by the publica- 
 tion of this edition, to enlarge the text, and correct some important errors which 
 appeared in the original publication. When this work was first brought out, the 
 very name of Christian art was almost unknown, nor had the admirable works of 
 Montalembert and Rio appeared on the subject. It is not by any means sur- 
 prising that the author, standing almost alone in the principles he was advocating, 
 should have adopted some incorrect views in the investigation of a subject in- 
 volved in so many perplexing difficulties : the theory he adopted was right in 
 the main point, but indistinctly developed. He was perfectly correct in the 
 abstract facts, that pointed architecture ivas produced hy the Catholic faith, and 
 that it was destroyed in England by the ascendency of Protestantism ; but he 
 was wrong in treating Protestantism as a primary cause, instead of being the 
 ej^ect of some other more powerful agency, and in ascribing the highest state of 
 architectural excellence to the ecclesiastical buildings erected immediately 
 previous to the change of religion ; as, although immeasurably excelling the 
 debased productions of the Elizabethan period, they still exhibited various 
 symptoms of the decay of the true Christian principle. 
 
 The real origin of both the revived Pagan and Protestant principles is to be 
 traced to the decayed state of faith throughout Europe in the fifteenth century, 
 which led men to dislike, and ultimately forsake, the principles and architecture 
 which originated in the self-denying Catholic princip)le, and admire and ado2')t 
 the luxurious styles of ancient Paganism. Religion must have been in a most 
 diseased state, for those two monsters, revived Paganism and Protestantism, ever 
 
iv PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 to have obtained a footing, much less to have overrun the Christian world. We 
 cannot imagine a St. Ambrose or St. Chrysostom setting up Bacchanalian groups 
 and illustrations of Ovid's fables as decorations to their episcopal residences, nor 
 a St. Bede or St. Cuthbert becoming Calvinists. If Henry VIII. exceeded Nero 
 himself in tyranny and cruelty, had not the Catholic spirit been at an exceedingly 
 low ebb, the Church of England, instead of succumbing, would have risen in glory 
 and purity, for such has ever been the effect of persecution in the days of lively 
 faith. But when the will of a schismatical king could so prevail with the whole 
 clergy of this country, that they actually erased from their missal and breviaries 
 the most glorious champion and martyr of the Church, St. Thomas of Canterbury, 
 and even put out the commemoration of the holy father himself (only one bishop 
 and a few abbots and priests being found true witnesses of the faith), it is evident 
 that England's Church had miserably degenerated. 
 
 The so-called Reformation is now regarded by many men of learning and 
 of unprejudiced minds as a dreadful scourge, permitted by divine Providence in 
 punishment for its decayed faith ; and those by whom it was carried on are now 
 considered in the true light of Church plunderers and crafty political intriguers, 
 instead of holy martyrs and modern apostles. It is, indeed, almost impossible for 
 any sincere person to see all episcopal and ecclesiastical power completely con- 
 trolled at the pleasure of a lay tribunal, without condemning the men who origin- 
 ally betrayed the Church, and feeling that in our present divided and distracted 
 state, consequent on the Reformation, we are suffering severely for the sins of our 
 fathers. This is the only really consistent view which can be taken of the subject. 
 England's Church was not attacked hy a strange enemy and overthrown, she was 
 consumed hy internal decay ; her privileges and abbeys were surrendered by 
 dissembling and compromising nominally Catholic ecclesiastics, and her revenues 
 and her glorious ornaments were despoiled and appropriated by so-called Catholic 
 nobles. Both Protestantism and revived Paganism were generated by unworthy 
 men who bore the name of Catholic ; the former is, indeed, a consequence of the 
 latter, as will be shown hereafter ; and, strange as it may appear, there is a great 
 deal of connexion between the gardens of the Medici, filled with Pagan luxury, 
 
PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. 
 
 V 
 
 and the Independent preaching-houses that now deface the land ; for both are 
 utterly oj^posed to true Catholic jyrinciples, and neither could have existed had 
 not those principles decayed. When that great champion and martyr for the 
 truth, Savonarola, the Dominican monk, preached his first sermon at Florence, he 
 predicted the desolation about to fall on the Church ; and after . pourtraying, in 
 the most powerful language, the terrible danger in the then new rage for classic 
 and Pagan styles, that were beginning to usurp the place of Christian art and 
 feeling, he exclaimed, " By your continued study of these things, and your neglect 
 of the sublime truths of the Catholic faith, you will become ashamed of the cross 
 of Christ, and imbibe the proud luxurious spirit and feelings of Paganism ; till, 
 weak both in faith and good works, you will fall into heresies, or infidelity 
 itself" 
 
 Who cannot see this terrible prediction fulfilled in the desolating religious 
 revolution of the sixteenth century, to which we owe the present divided state 
 of religious parties in this country ? 
 
 Having explained and rectified the errors into which he had fallen, the author 
 is quite ready to maintain the principle of contrasting Catholic excellence with 
 modern degeneracy ; and wherever that degeneracy is observable, be it in Pro- 
 testant or Catholic countries, it will be found to proceed from the decay of true 
 Catholic principles and practice. 
 
 It may be proper to observe, that most of the reviewers of this work have 
 fallen into a great error, by reproaching the author for selecting buildings of the 
 modern style to contrast with the ancient edifices, when so many better build- 
 ings had been erected during the last few years in imitation of the pointed style. 
 This objection may be answered in a few words : revivals of ancient architecture, 
 although erected in, are not buildings of, the nineteenth century, — their merit 
 must be referred back to the period from whence they were copied ; the archi- 
 tecture of the nineteenth century is that extraordinary conglomeration of classic 
 and modern styles peculiar to the day, and of which we can find no example in 
 any antecedent period. 
 
LIST OF PLATES. 
 
 Engraved Title. 
 
 Plate 1. Contrasted Altars. Woodcut. 
 
 2. ,, Residences for the Poor. 
 
 3. Selections from the Works of various celebrated British Architects. 
 
 4. Contrasted Royal Chapels. 
 
 5. „ Chapels. 
 
 6. „ Town Halls. 
 
 7. „ Episcopal Residences. 
 
 8. ., Public Inns. 
 
 9. A Catholic Town in 1440-1840. 
 
 10. Contrasted Public Conduits. 
 
 11. „ Crosses. 
 
 12. New Church — Open Competition. The Practice of Architecture in the 19th Century- 
 
 Satirised. 
 
 13. Contrasted Altar Screens. 
 
 14. They are weighed in the Balance and found wanting. 
 
 15. Contrasted College Gateways. 
 
 16. ,, Sepulchral Monuments. 
 
 17. ,, Episcopal Monuments. 
 
 18. St. Mary Overies, Southwark — Old and New Western Doorways. 
 
 19. Contrasted Parochial Churches. 
 
 20. „ House Fronts (not in Book). 
 
CONTEASTS: 
 
 OR, 
 
 a parallel 
 
 BETWEEN 
 
 THE NOBLE EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES, AND 
 SIMILAR BUILDINGS OF THE PRESENT DAY, 
 cfec. cfec. (be. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 ON THE FEELINGS WHICH PRODUCED THE GREAT EDIFICES OF THE 
 MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 On comparing the Architectural Works of the last three centuries with 
 those of the Middle Ages, the wonderful superiority of the latter must 
 strike every attentive observer ; and the mind is naturally led to reflect 
 on the causes which have wrought this mighty change, and to en- 
 deavour to trace the fall of Architectural taste, from the period of its 
 first decline to the present day ; and this will form the subject of 
 the following pages. 
 
 It will be readily admitted, that the great test of Architectural 
 beauty is the fitness of the design to the purpose for which it is 
 intended, and that the style of a building should so correspond with 
 its use that the spectator may at once perceive the purpose for which 
 it was erected. 
 
 b 
 
2 
 
 GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 Acting on this principle, different nations have given birth to so 
 many various styles of Architecture, each suited to their climate, 
 customs, and religion ; and as it is among edifices of this latter class 
 that we look for the most splendid and lasting monuments, there can 
 be little doubt that the religious ideas and ceremonies of these 
 different people had by far the greatest influence in the formation 
 of their various styles of Architecture. 
 
 The more closely we compare the temples of the Pagan nations 
 with their religious rites and mythologies, the more shall we be 
 satisfied with the truth of this assertion. 
 
 In them every ornament, every detail had a mystical import. The 
 pyramid and obelisk of Egyptian Architecture, its Lotus capitals, its 
 gigantic sphinxes and multiplied hieroglyphics, were not mere fanciful 
 Architectural combinations and ornaments, but emblems of the philo- 
 sophy and mythology of that nation. 
 
 In classic Architecture again, not only were the forms of the temples 
 dedicated to different deities varied, but certain capitals and orders of 
 Architecture were peculiar to each ; and the very foliage ornaments of 
 the friezes were symbolic. The same principle, of Architecture resulting 
 from religious belief, may be traced from the caverns of Elora, to the 
 Druidical remains of Stonehenge and Avebury ; and in all these works 
 of Pagan antiquity, we shall invariably find that both the plan and 
 decoration of the building is mystical and emblematic. 
 
 And is it to be supposed that Christianity alone, with its sublime 
 truths, with its stupendous mysteries, should be deficient in this 
 respect, and not possess a symbolical architecture for her temples 
 which would embody her doctrines and instruct her children ? surely 
 not, — nor is it so : from Christianit}^ has arisen an architecture so 
 glorious, so sublime, so perfect, that all the productions of ancient 
 paganism sink, when compared before it, to a level with the false 
 and corrupt systems from which they originated. 
 
 Pointed or Christian Architecture has far higher claims on our admi- 
 ration than mere beauty or antiquity ; the former may be regarded as a 
 matter of opinion, — the latter, in the abstract, is no proof of excellence, 
 
GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 3 
 
 but in it alone we find the faith of CJiristianity embodied, and its prac- 
 tices illustrated. 
 
 The three great doctrines, of the redemption of man by the sacrifice 
 of our Lord on the cross ; the three equal persons united in one 
 Godhead ; and the resurrection of the dead, — are the foundation 
 of Christian Architecture. 
 
 The first — the cross — is not only the very plan and form of a 
 Catholic church, but it terminates each spire and gable, and is 
 imprinted as a seal of faith on the very furniture of the altar. 
 
 The second is fully developed in the triangular form and arrangement 
 of arches, tracery, and even subdivisions of the buildings themselves. 
 
 The third is beautifully exemplified by great height and vertical 
 lines, which have been considered by the Christians, from the earliest 
 period, as the emblem of the resurrection. According to ancient 
 tradition, the faithful prayed in a standing position, both on Sundays 
 and during the pascal time, in allusion to this great mystery. This 
 is mentioned by Tertullian and by St. Augustine. Stantes oramus, 
 quod est signum resurrectionis ; and, by the last council of Nice, it was 
 forbidden to kneel on Sundays, or from Easter to Pentecost. The 
 vertical principle being an acknowledged emblem of the resurrection, 
 w^e may readily account for the adoption of the pointed arch by the 
 Christians, for the purpose of gaining greater height with a given 
 width. I say adoption, because the mere form of the pointed arch 
 is of great antiquity ; and Euclid himself must have been perfectly 
 acquainted with it. But there was nothing to call it into use, till the 
 vertical principle was established. The Christian churches had pre- 
 viously been built with the view to internal height : triforia and 
 clerestories existed in the Saxon churches. But lofty as were these 
 buildings, when com23ared with the flat and depressed temples of 
 classic antiquity, still the introduction of the pointed arch* enabled the 
 builders to obtain nearly double the elevation with the same width, as 
 
 * We may consider the introduction of the depressed or four-centred arch as the first 
 symptom of the dechne of Christian Architecture, the leading character of which was the 
 vertical or pointed principle. 
 
4 
 
 GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 is clearly seen in the annexed cut. But do not all the features and 
 details of the churches erected during the Middle Ages, set forth their 
 
 origin, and, at the same 
 time, exhibit the triumphs 
 of Christian truth? Like the 
 religion itself, their founda- 
 tions are in the cross, and 
 they rise from it in majesty 
 and glory. The lofty nave 
 and choir, with still loftier 
 towers, crowned by clusters 
 of pinnacles and spires, all 
 directed towards heaven, 
 beautiful emblems of the 
 Christian's brightest hope, 
 the shame of the Pagan ; 
 the cross, raised on high 
 in glory, — a token of mercy 
 and forgiveness, — crowning 
 the sacred edifice, and 
 placed between the anger 
 of God and the sins of 
 the city. 
 
 The images of holy martyrs, each bearing the instrument of 
 the cruel death by which Pagan foolishness hoped to exterminate, 
 with their lives, the truths they witnessed, fill every niche that 
 line the arched recesses of the doorways. Above them are forms 
 of cherubims and the heavenly host, mingled with patriarchs and 
 prophets. Over the great entrance, is the dome or final judgment, 
 the divine majesty, the joys of the blessed spirits, the despair of the 
 condemned. What subjects for contemplation do not these majestic 
 portals present to the Christian, as he approaches the house of 
 prayer ! and well are they calculated to awaken those sentiments 
 of reverence and devotion, suited to the holy place. But if the 
 
GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 5 
 
 exterior of the temple be so soul-stirring, what a burst of glory meets 
 the eye, on entering a long majestic line of pillars rising into lofty and 
 fretted vaulting ! The eye is lost in the intricacies of the aisles and 
 lateral chapels ; each window beams with sacred instructions, and 
 sparkles with glowing and sacred tints ; the pavement is a rich enamel, 
 interspersed with brass memorials of departed souls. Every capital 
 and base are fashioned to represent some holy mystery ; the great 
 rood loft, with its lights and images, through the centre arch of which, 
 in distant perspective, may be seen the high altar blazing with gold 
 and jewels, surmounted by a golden dove, the earthly tabernacle of 
 the Highest; before which, burn three unextinguished lamps. It is, 
 indeed, a sacred place ; the modulated light, the gleaming tapers, the 
 tombs of the faithful, the various altars, the venerable images of the 
 just, — all conspire to fill the mind with veneration, and to impress it 
 with the sublimity of Christian worship. And when the deep intona- 
 tions of the bells from the lofty campaniles, which summon the people 
 to the house of prayer, have ceased, and the solemn chant of the choir 
 swells through the vast edifice, — cold, indeed, must be the heart of 
 that man who does not cry out with the Psalmist, laowtne tiiUvi 
 trecorem Jjomus tuae, tt locum i^atiitattoms gloriac tuae. 
 
 Such efi'ects as these can only be produced on the mind by build- 
 ings, the composition of which has emanated from men who were 
 thoroughly embued with devotion for, and faith in, the religion for 
 whose worship they were erected. 
 
 Their whole energies were directed towards attaining excellence ; 
 they were actuated by far nobler motives than the hopes of pecuniary 
 reward, or even the applause and admiration of mankind. They felt 
 they were engaged in one of the most glorious occupations that can 
 fall to the lot of man — that of raising a temple to the worship of the 
 true and living God. 
 
 It was this feeling that operated alike on the master-mind that 
 planned the edifice, and on the patient sculptor whose chisel wrought 
 each varied and beautiful detail. It was this feeling that enabled 
 the ancient masons, in spite of labour, danger, and difficulties, to 
 
6 
 
 GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 persevere till they had raised their gigantic spires into the very 
 regions of the clouds. It was this feeling that induced the ecclesiastics 
 of old to devote their revenues to this pious purpose, and to labour 
 with their own hands in the accomplishment of the work ; and it is a 
 feeling that may be traced throughout the whole of the numerous 
 edifices of the Middle Ages, and which, amidst the great variety of 
 genius which their varied decorations display, still bespeaks the unity 
 of purpose which influenced their builders and artists. 
 
 They borrowed their ideas from no heathen rites, nor sought for 
 decorations from the idolatrous emblems of a strange people. The 
 foundation and progress of the Christian faith, and the sacraments 
 and ceremonies of the Church, formed an ample and noble field for 
 the exercise of their talents ; and it is an incontrovertible fact, that 
 every class of artists, who flourished during those glorious periods, 
 selected their subjects from this inexhaustible source, and devoted 
 their greatest ejfforts towards the embellishment of ecclesiastical 
 edifices. 
 
 Yes, it was, indeed, the faith, the zeal, and above all, the unity of 
 our ancestors, that enabled them to conceive and raise those wonder- 
 ful fabrics that still remain to excite our wonder and admiration. 
 They were erected for the most solemn rites of Christian worship, 
 Avhen the term Christian had but one signification throughout the 
 world ; when the glory of the house of God formed an important con- 
 sideration with mankind, when men were zealous for religion, liberal 
 in their gifts, and devoted to her cause. I am well aware that modern 
 writers have attributed the numerous churches erected during the 
 Middle Ages to the effect of superstition. But if we believe the great 
 principle of Christian truth, that this life is merely a preparation for 
 a future state, and that the most important occupation of man in this 
 world is to prepare for the next, the multiplicity of religious estab- 
 lishments during the ages of faith, may be accounted for on far nobler 
 motives than have been generally ascribed to them. 
 
 It may be objected, and with some apparent reason, that if pointed 
 Architecture had been the result of Christian faith, it would have been 
 
GREAT EDIFICES OF THE MIDDLE AGES. 
 
 7 
 
 introduced earlier. But if we examine the history of the Church, we 
 shall find that the long period which intervened between the establish- 
 ment of Christianity and the full development of Christian art, can be 
 most satisfactorily accounted for. When the Catholic faith was first 
 preached, all art was devoted to the service of error and impurity. Then 
 the great and terrible persecutions of the first centuries, utterly pre- 
 €luded its exercise among the early Christians. The convulsion 
 consequent on the overthrow of the Roman empire, which destroyed, 
 for a time, all the practical resources of art, was a sufficient cause for 
 the barbarous state of Architecture at that period : but when 
 Christianity had overspread the whole of western Europe, and 
 infused her salutary and ennobling influence in the hearts of the 
 converted nations, art arose purified and glorious ; and as it had 
 been previously devoted to the gratification of the senses, then it 
 administered to the soul : and exalted by the grandeur of the 
 Christian mysteries, ennobled by its sublime virtues, it reached a 
 point of excellence far beyond any it had previously attained ; and 
 instead of being confined to what was sensual or human, it was 
 devoted to the spiritual and divine. Christian art was the natural 
 result of the progress of Catholic feeling and devotion ; and its decay 
 was consequent on that of the faith itself; and all revived classic 
 buildings, whether erected in Catholic or Protestant countries, ace 
 evidences of a lamentable departure from true Catholic principles 
 and feelings, as will be shown in the ensuing chapter. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 " The ancient Pagans were at least consistent ; in their architecture, symbols, and sculpture,, 
 they faithfully embodied the errors of their mythology ; but modern Catholics have revived 
 these profanities in opposition to reason, and formed the types of their churches, their paint- 
 ings, their images, from the detestable models of pagan error which had been overthrown by 
 the triumph of Christian truth, raising temples to the crucified Redeemer in imitation of the 
 Parthenon and Pantheon ; representing the Eternal Father under the semblance of Jupiter ; 
 the blessed Virgin as a draped Venus or Juno ; martyrs as gladiators ; saints as amorous 
 nymphs; and angels in the form of Cupids." — Translated from De FEtat Actuel de FAii 
 Relig^ieux en France, par M. le Comte de Montalembert. Paris, 1839. 
 
 Did not almost every edifice erected during the last few centuries 
 attest the fact, it would hardly be believed, that after Christianity 
 had utterly overthrown the productions of Paganism, with its 
 false doctrines, and when a new and sublime style of art had been 
 generated by its holy and ennobling influence (in all respects 
 suited to its faith and discipline), its professors in future ages 
 would have abandoned this glorious achievement of their religion, 
 to return to the corrupt ideas of pagan sensuality which their 
 ancestors in the faith had so triumphantly suppressed, and, horrible 
 profanation ! turn the most sacred mysteries of Christianity into 
 a mere vehicle for their revival.* But every church that has been 
 
 * Almost all the celebrated artists of the last three centuries, instead of producing their 
 works from feelings of devotion and a desire of instructing the faithful, merely sought for a 
 display of their art and the increase of fame ; hence they not unfrequently selected the least 
 edifying subjects from sacred writ, such as Lot and his daughters, the chastity of Joseph, 
 Susanna and the elders, and many others of the same description, simply because they afforded 
 a better scope for the introduction of pagan nudities ; even St. Sebastian was more frequently 
 depicted from this motive, than from any veneration for the constancy of that holy martyr. 
 And what greater profanation could be conceived, than making the representations of the most 
 holy personages mere vehicles for portraits of often very unworthy living characters, who had 
 the audacity to be depicted as saints, apostles, and even as our blessed Lady and the divine 
 Redeemer himself — a detestable practice, of which we have but too many instances, and which 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 9 
 
 erected from St. Peter's at Rome* downwards, are so many striking 
 examples of the departure from pure Christian ideas and Architecture; 
 and not only have the modern churchmen adopted the debased style 
 in all their new erections, but they have scarcely left one of the 
 glorious fabrics of antiquity unencumbered by their unsightly and 
 incongruous additions. This mania for paganism is developed in all 
 classes of buildings erected since the fifteenth century — in palaces, in 
 mansions, in private houses, in public erections, in monuments for the 
 dead ; it even extended to furniture and domestic ornaments for the 
 table : and were it not beyond the limits of my subject, I could show 
 
 form strikingly contrasts to the humble piety of the ages of faith, when the donors of sacred 
 pictures were figured kneeling in a corner of the subject in the attitude of prayer, with their 
 patron saints behind them, and not unfrequently labels with pious inscriptions proceeding from 
 their mouths. 
 
 * It is surprising how this edifice is popularly regarded as the ne phis ultra of a Catholic 
 church, although as a Christian edifice it is by no means comparable to either St. Peter's of 
 York or St. Peter s of Westminster, in both of which churches every original detail and emblem 
 is of the purest Christian design, and not one arrcvigement or feature horroioed from pagan 
 antiquity ; and although these glorious piles have been woefully desecrated and shorn of more 
 than half their original beauty, they yet produce stronger feelings of religious awe than their 
 namesake at Rome, still in the zenith of its glory, with all its mosaics, gilding, and marbles. 
 As an English author justly remarks, above thirty millions of Catholic money, gathered for the 
 most part in the pointed cathedrals of' Christendom, have been lavished in the attempt to adapt 
 classic details to a Christian church, the very idea of which implied a most degenerate spirit. 
 St. Peter's, like other buildings of the same date and style, must convey to every Catholic mind 
 the most melancholy associations, — it marks the fatal period of the great schism, and the 
 outbreak of fearful heresy. England — once the brightest jewel in the crown of the Church — 
 separated from Catholic unity ; her most glorious churches dismantled, her religious dispersed, 
 and clergy brought into bondage. France — the kingdom of the saintly Louis — overrun with 
 Calvinists; her cathedrals pillaged, her abbeys given into the hands of lay rapacity, and the 
 first seeds of the terrible revolution disseminated. Germany, Sweden, Holland, and a great 
 part of the Low Countries, the same. For one religious house founded since that fatal period, 
 five hundred have been dismantled and suppressed; for one canonized saint, we find a thousand 
 professed infidels; for one country converted, six lost. These are some of the accompaniments 
 of the grand renaissance, or revival of classic art, which moderns so highly extol in preference 
 to the glorious works produced by the faith, zeal, and devotion of the Middle Ages; and such 
 have been the results of the revived pagan system, which began with the classicism of the 
 sixteenth century, was fostered in the mythological palaces of the Grand Monarque, and only 
 attained its climax in the great French revolution, when its principles were fully worked out 
 in the massacre of the clergy, the open profession of infidelity, and the exhibition of a 
 prostitute raised over the altar of God. 
 
 C 
 
10 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 that it has invaded the ordinary forms of speech, and is discernible in 
 modern manners and government. 
 
 The most celebrated palaces of Europe are the veriest heathen 
 buildings imaginable ; in Versailles, the Tuileries, Louvre, St. Cloud, 
 Fontainebleau, Brussels, Munich, Buckingham Palace, in vain we look 
 for one Christian emblem or ornament. The decoration of garden, 
 terrace, entrance hall, vestibule, gallery, or chamber, ceiling, panel, 
 wall, window, or pediment, is invariably designed from heathen myth- 
 ology. Gods and goddesses, demons and nymphs, tritons and cupids, 
 repeated ad nauseam,, all represented in most complimentary attitudes, 
 with reference to the modern pagan for whom the sycophant artists 
 designed the luxurious residence. In new Buckingham Palace, whose 
 marble gate cost an amount which would have erected a splendid 
 church, there is not even a regular chapel provided for the divine office ; 
 so that both in appearance and arrangement it is utterly unsuited for 
 -a Christian residence, and forms a most lamentable and degenerate 
 contrast with the ancient Palace of Westminster, of which the 
 present unrivalled Hall was the hospitable refectory, and the ex- 
 quisitely-beautiful St. Stephen's the domestic chapel.* That was, 
 indeed, a noble structure, worthy of the English monarchs, every 
 chamber of which was adorned with emblems of their faith and their 
 €0U7itTy. Conspicuous above the rest were depicted St. George 
 and St. Edward, whose names in moments of desperate peril have 
 oft animated the English in sustaining many an unequal tight 
 
 * Few persons are a\\"are of the riehiiess of this once <>lorioiis diapel, which nuist have 
 surpassed in splendour any existin<); nioiuinient of pointed art; the whole of the intei'nal archi- 
 tectuie was covered with excpiisite paintings and diapering. The Society of Anti((uaries have 
 engra\e(l portions of them ; in IJritton's Hi.stor// of J nh'ifccfitrc, \hv lower compartments are 
 faithfully figured. 
 
 -John Carter has etched sections of the chapel in his J>inciit A nhita tmr, but his restora- 
 tion of the loof is incorrect, although, in other respects, the plates give a tolerable idea of this 
 wonderful building. Its great beauties, however, found no favour in the eyes of the semi- 
 barbarians of modern times, who fitted it up for the House of Commons in a style not 
 dissimilar to a methodist conventicle. Still fragments of the ancient elaborate enrichments 
 were to i)e traced behind the unsightly additions till the great lire utterly destroyed them, 
 liritton and IJrayleyV A iifiqinfics of the Old Paldcc at ]Vc.sturn,.stf>\ contains many interesting 
 views of this buiiding as it appeared aftei' the conHagration. 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 11 
 
 with foreign foes. But these saintly names, so famous in our national 
 annals, and the very mention of which wrought such wonders in time 
 of old, have no charm for modern eais. In lieu of their venerable 
 images, we have now a pagan Victory or a Minerva, while the 
 standard of England is hoisted on a scalfold-pole, stuck above a mass 
 of soot-stained marble, miscalled a triumphal arch, and a sorry sub- 
 stitute for the turreted gateways of the ancient palace. 
 
 It is very curious to observe the extraordinary change in the 
 decoration of timber houses in the French cities that took place in 
 the short interval between the reigns of Charles VIII and Francis I. 
 Previous to, and during the reign of the former, and even under 
 Louis XII, all the ornaments on private houses were of a devotional 
 and Christian character. The Annunciation of our blessed Lady was 
 frequently carved over entrance doors ; saints in canopied niches 
 formed the invariable enrichments of corbels and stauncheons ; fre- 
 quently pious inscriptions were cut on scrolls running on beams and 
 brestsummers, or extended by angels : every detail had a devout aiid 
 Catholic signification. But no sooner had the principles of modern 
 paganism been introduced, than these holy subjects were discon- 
 tinued : the fables of Ovid, classic heroes, the twelve Caesars, and 
 similar representations, were substituted in their place. While 
 Catholic faith and feelings were unimpaired, its results were pre- 
 cisely the same in different countries. There is scarcely any percep- 
 tible difference between the sepulchral monuments of the old English 
 ecclesiastics or those of the ancient Roman churchmen ; * we find 
 
 * It is quite a mistake to suppose that Christian or pointed architecture was not fully 
 developed in Italy, as in other countries, during the ages of faith. Formerly there w ere most 
 numerous examples to be found ; but as it has been the fountain-head of the Pagan revival, 
 few of these monuments of ancient piety have escaped uninjured, while manv have been totally 
 destroyed. At Assisiuni there are several beautiful pointed churches, and one, triply-divided, 
 of unrivalled design and execution, the vaults and walls being covered with frescoes in the finest 
 style of Christian art. The ciboriums or canopies over the high altars of the basilicas, were alj 
 in the pointed style. The church ornaments used in the ancient basilica of St. Peter's, of which 
 a few are to be found in the Vatican collection, are exquisitely beautiful, and precisely of the 
 samej'orm and design as those which belonged to the old English cathedrals at that period. 
 
 Had not the heads of the Catholic Church resided so long at Avignon, Rome would have 
 possessed a vast number of buildings in the purest Christian style. In the former city are tondjs 
 
12 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 precisely the same ample chasuble, the same dignified vestments, the 
 same recumbent position, with the hands devoutly joined as in prayer, 
 the same brief and Catholic inscription, the same angelic supporters 
 at the head. But not a trace of one of these beautiful features is to 
 be found in monuments of later times. The inverted torch, the club 
 of Hercules, the owl of Minerva, and the cinerary urn, are carved, in 
 lieu of saints and angels, on the tombs of popes, bishops, kings, eccle- 
 siastics, statesmen, and warriors, frequently accompanied by Pagan 
 divinities, in Pagan nudity ; the pious supplication for a prayer for 
 the soul of the deceased, is changed into a long and pompous inscrip- 
 tion detailing his virtues and exploits. Although the shameful 
 inconsistency of these monuments may not appear so striking in the 
 modern churches of Italian style, where they are partly in character 
 with the Paganism of the rest of the building, yet when they are 
 intruded beneath the grand vaults of a Westminster or a Cologne, 
 and placed by the side of the ancient memorials of the departed 
 faithful, where every niche and ornament breathes the spirit of 
 Catholic piety, they offer a perfect outrage to Christian feelings. 
 
 The furniture executed during and since the reigns of Henry VII 1 
 and Francis I, exhibits the same debased and Pagan character of 
 ornament which I have previously remarked about the houses them- 
 selves ; and this lamentable change of style extended itself to every 
 class of art and manufacture ; and when anything Christian or sacred 
 was attempted to be introduced, it was so disguised in classic forms 
 as to be scarcely distinguishable from the Pagan subjects by which it 
 
 of ])opes, exquisitely beautiful, and corresponding in style and execution to our finest monu- 
 ments of the })eriod of Edward III. Italy was the very focus of Christian painting during the 
 IVIiddle Ages, and produced a most illustrious race of Catholic artists, amongst whom are to be 
 reckoned a Giotto, an Andrea Orgagna, a Fra Angelico, a Perugino, and a Raff'aelle. If those 
 students who journev to Italy to study art, would follow in the steps of the great Overbeck, and 
 avoiding ecjually the contagion of its ancioit and modern Pa^-an'i.sm, confine their researches to 
 ifa Christian anftqiiHies, they would indeed derive inestimable benefit. Italian art of the 13th, 
 l4th, and 15th centuries, is the beau ideal of Christian purity, and its imitation cannot be too 
 strongly inculcated ; but when it forsook its pure, mystical, and ancient types, to follow those 
 of sensual I'aganism, it sunk to a fearful state of degradation, and for the last three centuries 
 its productions of every class should only be looked upon for the purpose of being avoided. 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 13 
 
 was surrounded. Indeed all idea of the respect due to sacred repre- 
 sentations was entirely lost, and the most holy emblems were treated 
 as mere ornament, and placed on a level with the grossest profanities. 
 Not long since I saw a dagger of the sixteenth century, which had been 
 undoubtedly used for assassinations, the blade being priced for blood 
 by successive scores, increasing the remuneration in proportion to the 
 depth that the steel was plunged in the body of the victim. Now the 
 handle of this murderous instrument (the very sight of which must 
 fill every Christian mind with horror) was surmounted by an ivory 
 image of the blessed Virgin with our Lord^ while Diana and Adeon were 
 sculptured beneath ! ! And many more instances could I readily 
 adduce to show the utter loss of Catholic art and feelings at this 
 memorable period. The very form of the ecclesiastical seals, which for 
 ages had resembled the Vesica Piscis, or fish, symbolical of the holy 
 name of our Lord, was changed into a circle, in imitation of the classic 
 medals, which were servilely copied even to their very ornaments. 
 
 The triumph of these new and degenerate ideas over the ancient and 
 Catholic feelings, is a melancholy evidence of the decay of faith and 
 morals at the period of their introduction, and to which indeed they owe 
 their origin. Protestantism and revived Paganism both date from the 
 same epoch, both spring from the same causes, and neither could pos- 
 sibly have been introduced, had not Catholic feelings fallen to a very 
 low ebb. The ravages of the former were carried on by plunder and 
 violence ; the inroads of the latter by pretended improvement and 
 classic restoration. On the whole, however, it must be admitted, that 
 the axes and hammers of the puritanic factions were far less dangerous 
 or productive of lasting evils than the chisels and brushes of the modern 
 Pagan artists, who, by insinuating their pernicious ideas and emblems 
 into the very externals of true religion, seduced the weak-minded, 
 and gained thousands who would have revolted at WiQprofessed mutila- 
 tion of ecclesiastical architecture, to aid in its destruction, under the 
 supposition of replacing it by more ornamental erections. I have here 
 introduced engravings of three sorts of altars to illustrate my position. 
 
 In the first (see Plate No. I) — the true Catholic one — every por- 
 
14 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 tioii breathes the spirit of purity and reverence ; the sacred mystei-ies 
 are depicted in a mystical and devotional manner; the full, draped, and 
 modest garments of the figures, the devout and placid position of the 
 angels, the curtains, the embroidered frontal, the two candlesticks and 
 cross, are all in strict accordance with Catholic antiquity and feelings. 
 
 In the second (see Plate No. II) an altar used for Catholic pur- 
 poses, but of a debased and profane style, — we discern the fatal effects 
 of revived Paganism. The loose and indecent costumes and postures 
 of the figures intended for saints (but which are all concealed copies 
 of the impure models of Pagan antiquity), the classic details devoid 
 of any appropriate signification, the paltry and trifling taste of the 
 
 ornaments, more suited to 
 a fashionable boudoir than 
 an altar for sacrifice, all 
 evince the total absence 
 of true Catholic ideas of 
 art. 
 
 In the third (see margin), 
 the efl"ect of the destructive 
 or Protestant principles is 
 depicted. The original ima- 
 gery and tabernacle work 
 of the altar screen have 
 been mutilated and de- 
 faced : the altar itself, — 
 which had served for ages 
 in the most holy mystei ies, 
 and was covered with cost- 
 ly ornaments, — has been 
 plundered and demolished, 
 and a cheap ugly table set in 
 its place, on which the book 
 and bason indicate that it 
 occasionally serves for the 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 15 
 
 purposes of baptism, in lieu of the ancient font, which probably has 
 been removed to serve for some menial purpose. The royal arms, 
 occupying the wonted place of the Redeemer, mark the temporal 
 degradation of the suffering Church, ground down by the civil power. 
 In place of the original rich and splendid window, a few shattered 
 fragments confusedly leaded together, are all that remain, and these 
 will probably be thrown away by the glazier in the next repairs ; 
 and the whole exhibits a faithful picture of Protestant desecration 
 and neglect. 
 
 In England, as the succeeding pages will show, the buildings have 
 almost exclusively suffered through the destructive or Protestant 
 principle ; but this was not, as I have before remarked, in itself a 
 cause, but the effect of Catholic degeneracy, and we must view its 
 ravages as the scourge of the decayed and compromising Church of 
 England. As all the matter of the first edition of this book referred 
 to this country, it is not altogether surprising that I should have 
 overlooked the revival of Paganism, and attributed the loss of 
 Catholic art exclusively to Protestant opinions : I now most readily 
 retract my former error in this respect, and have endeavoured to 
 assign to each principle its real share in the destruction of Christian 
 productions, 
 
 I was perfectly right in the abstract fact that tJie excdUnce of art 
 was only to he fou7id in Catholicism, but I did not draw a sufficient 
 distinction between Catholicism in its own venerable garb, or as dis- 
 guised in the modern externals of Pagan corruption. 
 
 But however defective my former efforts may have been in prin- 
 ciple, their intention, like the present work, is to exhibit in the works 
 and practices of Catholic antiquity — a far higher standard of excel- 
 lence than any modern pi'oductions can possibly afford. If men could 
 only be led to view Catholic truth, not as she appears at the present 
 time, not as she is distorted by popular prejudice, but in her ancient 
 solemn garb, what immense results might we not expect ! The 
 ordinary ideas in England of Catholicism (the pure faith of the merci- 
 ful Redeemer) are associated with faggots, racks, inquisitions, tor- 
 
16 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 tures, daggers, poisoning, and all the horrors which wretched crafty 
 politicians have perpetrated in various ages, under the name and 
 cloak of religion ; accounts of which, under exaggerated and multi- 
 plied forms, are most industriously circulated. On the other hand, 
 the externals and practices of the Church are so decayed at the 
 present time, that it is even difficult to point out to the enquirer 
 after truth any place where he can behold the rites of the Church 
 celebrated with the ancient solemnity. 
 
 It is only by communing with the spirit of past ages, as it is de- 
 veloped in the lives of the holy men of old, and in their wonderful 
 monuments and works, that we can arrive at a just appreciation of the 
 glories we have lost, or adopt the necessary means for their recovery. 
 
 It is now, indeed, time to break the chains of Paganism which 
 have enslaved the Christians of the last three centuries, and diverted 
 the noblest powers of their minds, from the pursuit of truth to the 
 reproduction of error. Almost all the researches of modern anti- 
 quaries, schools of painting, national museums and collections,* have 
 only tended to corrupt taste and poison the intellect, by setting forth 
 classic art as the summit of excellence, and substituting mere natural 
 and sensual productions in the place of the mystical and divine. 
 
 Before true taste and Christian feelings can be revived, all the pres- 
 ent and popular ideas on the subject must be utterly changed. Men 
 
 * Any shapeless fragment, any mean potter's vessel, any illegible inscription, provided it 
 be hut antiqne, will be deposited on a pedestal or within a glass case in our national nmseuni. 
 No price can be too great for a cameo or a heathen bust ; but every object of Catholic and 
 national art is rigidly excluded from the collection. In the whole of that vast establishment, 
 there is not even one room, one shelf', devoted to the exquisite productions of the jNliddle Ages. 
 In this we are actually behind every other country in Europe. At Paris, amidst all the Pagan 
 collections of the Louvre, the Christian student will find exquisite specimens of enamels, ivory 
 carvings, jewels, silver work, chasings in metal— all in the first stvle of Catholic art, and of 
 every date. At Nuremberg, Rouen, and many mere provincial towns, are public galleries of 
 Christian antiquities of the greatest interest. England alone, the country of all others where 
 such a collection could best be formed, is utterly destitute of it. In sepulchral monuments we 
 are rich indeed. If correct casts of all the effigies of royal and ecclesiastical persons, remaining 
 in the cathedral and other churches, were carefully taken, coloured fac-simile from the originals, 
 and arranged in chronological order, what a splendid historical and national series they would 
 form ; and this might easily be done at even a less cost than the transport of a monstrous frag- 
 ment of an Egyptian god from the banks of the Nile. 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 17 
 
 must learn that the period hitherto called dark and ignorant far 
 excelled ovir age in wisdom, that art ceased when it is said to have 
 been revived, that superstition was piety, and bigotry faith. The 
 most celebrated names and characters must give place to others at 
 present scarcely known, and the famous edifices of modern Europe 
 sink into masses of deformity by the side of the neglected and 
 mouldering piles of Catholic antiquity. If the renunciation of pre- 
 conceived opinions on these subjects, and the consequent loss of the 
 present enjoyment derived from them, be considered as a gi-eat 
 sacrifice, does not the new and glorious field that is opened offer far 
 more than an equivalent ? What delight to trace a race of native 
 artists hitherto unknown, in whose despised and neglected produc- 
 tions the most mystical feeling and chaste execution is to be found, 
 and in whose beautiful compositions the originals of many of the 
 most celebrated pictures of more modern schools are to be traced; what 
 exquisite remains of the sculptor's skill* lie buried under the green 
 mounds that mark the site of once noble churches ; what originality of 
 conception and masterly execution do not the details of many rural and 
 parochial churches exhibit ! f There is no need of visiting the distant 
 
 * During the excavations of St. [Mary's Abbey at York, excjuisite bosses and carved frag- 
 ments were discovered buried beneath the accumulated rubbish. There can be but Httle 
 doubt that, by judicious excavations, many interesting monuments and beautiful specimens of 
 ancient skill would be discovered. The excavations at St. Mary's Abbey were most laudable, 
 but the discoveries there made hardly compensate for the detestable building, consisting of a 
 Grecian portico and two wings, erected on part of the abbatial site and approach, through 
 a sort of Regent's Park lodge-gate, which is the present entrance to this venerable enclosiu'e. 
 It would have been hardly possible to have erected more offensive objects than these buildings, 
 in the immediate vicinity of one of the purest specimens of Christian architecture in the country. 
 
 f There is scarcely an ancient parish church in England which does not present some ob- 
 ject of interest. The sculptured details of those churches which were ei-ected about the time 
 of the three first Edwards, are exquisitely beautiful. In accordance with my rule never to pass 
 an ancient church without examining its interior, I entered lately a small church near Stamford 
 of no very promising exterior, where I found a fine family chapel, and in it two canopied 
 niches, surpassing in combination and execution any I had previously seen. Some of the half 
 ruined and almost deserted churches along the Nox-folk coast are complete mines of carved and 
 beautiful ornament. How little is really known of old English art. The celebrated cathedral 
 may indeed arrest attention, but few ever penetrate among the many noble churches which lie 
 in unfrequented roads, and where the simplicity of a rural population has proved a far better 
 preservative to the sacred pile than the heavy rates of prosperous and busy towns. 
 
 d 
 
18 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 shores of Greece and Egypt to make discoveries in art. England alone 
 abounds in hidden and unknown antiquities of surpassing interest. 
 What madness, then, while neglecting our own religious and national 
 types of architecture and art, to worship at the revived shrines of ancient 
 corruption, and profane the temple of a crucified Redeemer by the archi- 
 tecture and emblems of heathen gods. The Pagan monster, which has 
 ruled so long, and with such powerful sway over the intellects of man- 
 kind, is now tottering to its fall; and although its growth is too strong, 
 and its hold too powerful to be readily overthrown, still its hideous 
 form has been unmasked, and the strength of its assailants daily in- 
 creases. Already have some desperate wounds been inflicted on the 
 system. The great Overbeck,* that prince of Christian painters, has 
 raised up a school of mystical and religious artists, who are fast putting 
 to utter shame the natural and sensual school of art, in which the 
 modern followers of Paganism have so long degraded the representa- 
 tions of sacred personages and events. In France, M. Le Comte De 
 Montalembert (a man, of whom it may be said as of Savonarola, the 
 Dominican, sans reproche, et scms peur), has fully set forth the fatal 
 efiects of modern Paganism on Christian feelings and monuments ; 
 and already his denunciations of these errors, and his exposition of 
 Catholic art and truth, have produced a great improvement of taste 
 and ideas on these matters ; and various publications have already 
 appeared, and many more are preparing, on the excellence of the 
 despised Middle Ages. 
 
 The work of M. Rio on Christian Painting is an admirable pro- 
 duction, and must produce many converts to ancient art. In Eng- 
 land, much has been done towards restoring Catholic antiquity, and a 
 fine spirit has arisen in the head university itself, where a society of 
 learned men has been organised for the study and preservation of 
 Christian architecture. The ecclesiastical antiquities of the country 
 
 * All those who are interested in the revival of Catholic art should possess en^ia\ iiii;s from 
 the works of this great artist, the reviver of Christian })ainting at Rome. He w as educated in 
 Lutheran errors, hut, a few years since, enihracetl Catholic truth, with several of his associate 
 artists, who, like himself, have directed their talents to the service of religion, hv pourtraying 
 its mysteries in the reverent and devotional form of the ancient days of faith. 
 
ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 19 
 
 are considered worthy of patient research and elaborate illustration. 
 Innovators are frequently denounced, blocked arches and windows 
 restored, whitewash removed, and stained glass reinserted. All these 
 are good signs, and promise much for the future. It is true that 
 those who are most active in the great revival of Catholic art are as 
 yet but few in number, and, by the multitude, they are yet considered 
 as fanatics, or at best but visionary enthusiasts ; but well can they 
 afford to bear any obloquy or ridicule that they may incur in the 
 pursuit of their holy and glorious object. In what, I will ask, on 
 calm, dispassionate examination of the oj^inions, can the fanaticism 
 and extravagance be said to exist ? Is it in the assertion that art 
 was carried to far higher degree of perfection by the ennobling and 
 purifying influence of the Christian faith, than under that of Pagan 
 corruption ? 
 
 In their considering the symbol of our redemption and the images 
 of saintly personages more suitable to the residence of a Christian, 
 than the statue of a lascivious Venus, or the representation of heathen 
 fables ? 
 
 In their regarding the solemn chaunts composed by St. Gregory 
 himself, and sanctioned by repeated councils, and the universal prac- 
 tice of antiquity, as better suited to divine psalmody, and the offices 
 of the Church, than the extravagant figurings of infidel composers ? 
 
 In their preferring cloistered, quadrangled, and turreted edifices 
 to long Italian pedimented mansions, for collegiate purposes ? 
 
 In their following the architecture that emanated from the faitli 
 itself in the erection of churches, instead of adopting a bastard imita- 
 tion of Pagan edifices, unworthy and unsuited to so sacred a purpose \ 
 
 In fine, by their setting forth the self-denying, charitable, devout, 
 and faithful habits of the ages of faith, as far more admirable and 
 exemplary than the luxurious, corrupt, irreverent, and infidel system 
 of the present time ? 
 
 ■ Surely, if these be fanatical ideas, then must Catholic truth itself 
 be fanaticism, for all these opinions are solidly based on it. And 
 however they may be assailed for a time, they must eventually pre- 
 
20 
 
 ON THE REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE. 
 
 vail. A warm temperature is not more necessary for the existence 
 of Eastern exotics, than a Christian atmosphere for the faithful. 
 " Tell me what company you keep, and I will tell you what you are/' 
 is a homely but true proverb. Hence, when I see a man professedly 
 a Christian, who, neglecting the mysteries of the faith, the saints of 
 the Church, and the glories of religion, surrounds himself with the 
 obscene and impious fables of mythology, and the false divinities 
 of the heathen, I may presume, without violation of charity, that 
 although he is nominally a son of Christian Rome, his heart and 
 affections are devoted to that city in the days of its Paganism. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 OF THE PROTESTANT PRINCIPLE AND THE PILLAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF 
 THE CHURCHES UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH. 
 
 $ Sing ti)C DceDs of great itmg i^arrg, 
 
 ^^f NcD t)t!3 son, anU ttaugi^tcr IWari? ; 
 
 Cijc olU religion's alteration, 
 
 anD ttje establtsijment's first foundation; 
 
 ^nO flob) tije Ittng iieeame its ijeatf; 
 
 l^ob) Abbess fell, iDl^at blooD bias sfjeO; 
 
 ®f rajjine, sacrilege, anD tfjeft, 
 
 anU di^ttrcl) of golD anD lanO iiereft. 
 
 The origin of what is usually termed the Reformation in this country, 
 is too well known to need much dilating upon ; but it will be necessary 
 to say a few words on the subject, to explain the rise of the Protestant 
 or destructive principle. 
 
 King Henry the Eighth, finding all the hopes he had conceived of 
 the Pontiff's acquiescence in his unlawful divorce totally at an end, 
 determined to free himself from all spiritual restraint of the Apostolic 
 see ; and, for that purpose, caused himself to be proclaimed supreme 
 head of the English Church. This arrogant and impious step drew 
 forth the indignation of those who had the constancy and firmness to 
 prefer the interests of religion to the will of a tyrant, and who boldly 
 represented the injustice and impiety of a layman pretending to be 
 the supreme head of a Christian Church. 
 
 Their opposition was, however, fruitless, and a bitter persecution 
 was commenced against those who had boldly resisted this dangerous 
 and novel innovation ; and amongst the numerous victims whO' 
 suffered on this occasion, the names of those learned and pious men, 
 Bishop Fisher, Thomas More, and Abbot Whiting, need only be cited 
 to show the injustice and cruelty of this merciless tyrant. 
 
22 
 
 PILLAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES 
 
 The king, however, now established in his new dignity, by dint of 
 rewards to those who were base enough to truckle to his will, and axe 
 and halter to any who dared to withstand his usurpations, found it 
 necessary to find some means to replenish his cofifers, and to secure 
 the assistance he might require in the furtherance of his sacrilegious 
 projects. 
 
 The step he took on this occasion proved the total overthrow of 
 religion, and paved the way for all those disastrous events which so 
 rapidly afterwards succeeded each other. 
 
 Ever since the first conversion of this country to the Christian faith, 
 pious and munificent individuals had always been found zealous to 
 establish and endow a vast number of religious houses ; to the labours 
 of whose inmates we are indebted not only for the preservation and 
 advancement of literature and science, but even for the conception and 
 partial execution both of the great ecclesiastical buildings themselves, 
 and the exquisite and precious ornaments with which they were filled. 
 
 By the unwearied zeal and industry of these men, thus relieved 
 from all worldly cares, and so enabled to devote their lives to the 
 study of all that was sublime and admirable, their churches rose in 
 gigantic splendour ; their almeries and sacristies were filled with 
 sacred vessels and sumptuous vestments, the precious materials of 
 which were only exceeded by the exquisite forms into which they 
 had been wrought ; while the shelves of their libraries groaned under 
 a host of ponderous volumes, the least of which required years of 
 intense and unceasing application for its production. 
 
 It would be an endless theme to dilate on all the advantages 
 accruing from these splendid establishments ; suffice it to observe, 
 that it Avas through their boundless charity and hospitality the poor 
 were entirely maintained. 
 
 They formed alike the places for the instruction of youth, and the 
 quiet retreat of a mature age ; and the vast results that the monastic 
 bodies have produced, in all classes of art and science, show the ex- 
 cellent use they made of that time which was not consecrated to 
 devotion and the immediate duties of their orders. 
 
UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH. 
 
 23 
 
 To a monarch, however, who neither respected sanctity nor art, these 
 institutions only offered a lure to his avarice, and the sure means of 
 replenishing his exhausted treasury ; and, regardless of the conse- 
 quences of so sacrilegious a step, he proceeded to exercise the power 
 of his newly acquired headship, and to devote to his own use and 
 purposes those lands which ancient piety had dedicated to God, and 
 which had been the support of the religious, the learned, and the 
 poor, for so many centuries. 
 
 He accomplished this great change in the most artful manner, by 
 instituting commissioners for the pretended reformation of ecclesi- 
 astical abuses ; but, in reality, to accomplish the entire overthrow of 
 the religious houses, by forging accusations of irregularity against 
 them,* and by executing those who opposed his intentions, on the 
 score of denying his supremacy. f 
 
 By such means, he obtained an act of parliament, for the suppres- 
 sion, to his use, of all those houses whose revenues were 300 marks 
 a year, and under. 
 
 Monstrous as this measure was, by which 376 conventual establish- 
 ments were dissolved, and an immense number of religious persons 
 scattered abroad, it was only intended as a prelude to one which soon 
 followed, and which was no less than the entire suppression of all the 
 larger abbeys, and a great number of colleges, hospitals, and free 
 chapels : of which Baker, in his " Chronicle," computes the number 
 to have been, of monasteries, 645 ; colleges, 90 ; 100 hospitals for 
 poor men ; and chantries and free chapels, 2374. The whole of the 
 lands belonging to these houses, together with an immense treasure 
 of ecclesiastical ornaments, of every description, were appropriated, 
 by this rapacious and sacrilegious tyrant, to his own use, and the 
 rightful possessors were left utterly destitute. 
 
 This measure may be considered as a fatal blow to ecclesiastical 
 Architecture in England ; and, from this period, we have only to trace 
 a melancholy series of destructions and mutilations, by which the 
 most glorious edifices of the Middle Ages have either been entirely 
 
 * See Appendix, A. f See Appendix, B. 
 
24 
 
 PILLAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES 
 
 demolished, or so shorn of their original beauties, that what remains 
 only serves to awaken our regret at what is for ever lost to us. 
 
 On the slaughter and dispersion of the religious, all the buildings 
 then in progress were, of course, immediately stopped ; a vast 
 number of their former inmates fled, to obtain an asylum in some 
 foreign land, where yet the ancient faith remained inviolate ; those 
 who remained, reduced to indigence, became the humble suitors for 
 the charity which they had so often liberally bestowed upon others ; 
 and, with bleeding hearts, and bitter lamentations, they beheld those 
 edifices, on which they had bestowed so much labour and consider- 
 ation, consigned to rapacious court parasites, as the reward of some 
 grovelling submission, or in the chance of play.* 
 
 They beheld the lead torn from the roofs and spires of their vener- 
 able churches, to satisfy the wasteful extravagance of a profligate 
 court ; and those beauteous and precious ornaments, which had 
 enshrined the relics of the departed saints, or served for centuries in 
 the most solemn rites of the church, sink into mere masses of metal, 
 under the fire of the crucible. 
 
 Their libraries were pillaged, their archives destroyed ; the very 
 remains of their illustrious dead were torn from their tombs, and 
 treated with barbarous indignity. 
 
 So suddenly had all this been brought to pass, that many build- 
 ings were hurled down, ere the cement, with which they were erected, 
 had hardened with time ; and many a mason, by the unwearied 
 strokes of whose chisel some beautiful form had been wrought, lived to 
 see the result of his labours mutilated by the axes of the destroyer.f 
 
 The effect of such scenes as these, on the minds of those clergy 
 who still remained in cathedral and other churches, may easily be 
 conceived. Apprehensive of a similar fate to that which had fallen on 
 their monastic brethren, they remained paralysed ; and no further 
 efforts were made at beautifying those edifices, which they so soon 
 expected would be plundered : and they waited, in dreadful suspense, 
 the next step which the sacrilegious tyrant would take, when either 
 his avarice or his necessities should lead him to it. 
 
 * See Appeiulix, C. 
 
 f See Appendix, D. 
 
UNDER HENRY THE EIGHTH. 
 
 25 
 
 It is a very common error to suppose that the change of religion, 
 in this country, was the result of popular feeling, but the mass of the 
 people, on the contrary, were warmly attached to the ancient faith : 
 the truth is, that the great fabric of the Church was undermined, by 
 degrees, one step producing another, till, like all revolutions, it far 
 exceeded the intentions of its first advocates ; and I do believe that, 
 had Henry himself foreseen the full extent to which his first impious 
 step would lead, he would have been deterred by the dreadful 
 prospect from proceeding in his career. He was the father of 
 persecution against the tenets of Protestantism in this country.* 
 
 By his Six Articles, he confirmed all the leading tenets of the 
 Catholic faith;-)- and, indeed, the only alteration he made in the 
 mass itself was, erasing the prayer for the pope, and the name of St. 
 Thomas a Becket, from the missals. In fine, images were retained in 
 churches, the sacrifice of the mass everywhere offered up, in the usual 
 manner, and the rites of the old religion performed, with only this 
 difference, that their splendour was greatly reduced, in consequence 
 of the king having appropriated all the richest ecclesiastical orna- 
 ments to his own use. 
 
 It is impossible, therefore, that Henry can be, by any means, 
 ranked among the number of what are termed Reformers, except so 
 far as his disposition to plunder and demolition, feelings so congenial 
 to that body, will entitle him to fellowship with them ; for, indeed, 
 in no other respects was he at all similar to those who proceeded 
 afterwards on the foundation he had laid. He had foolishly imagined, 
 he should have been able to seize the Church's wealth and power into 
 his own hands, and preserve the same unity and discipline as those 
 who held it by apostolic right ; but grievously was he disappointed. 
 
 The suppression of the religious houses, and the spoliation and 
 desecration of those shrines and places which had so long been con- 
 sidered sacred, had raised doubts and uncertainties among men which 
 were more easily excited than suppressed. 
 
 The exercise of private judgment in matters of faith, J and various 
 
 * See Appendix, E. f See Appendix, F. | See Appendix, G. 
 
 e 
 
26 PILLAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES, ETC. 
 
 heretical works imported from Germany, had produced feelings of 
 irreverence for the clergy, and contempt for religion, which was in- 
 creased by the innovations they beheld daily made by those in power, 
 on the rights and property of ecclesiastics ; and Henry lived to per- 
 ceive and deplore, that neither his fagots nor his halters could pre- 
 serve anything like unity of creed ; but that, the great spell being 
 broken which had so long kept men together, they were as little 
 disposed to be restrained by rules prescribed by him, as he had been 
 by those of the ancient faith from which he had departed. 
 
 During his life, however, the cathedral and parochial churches 
 suffered little, except being despoiled of their richest ornaments, all 
 the destruction having fallen on the monastic edifices ; nor was it 
 till his infant son, Edward VI, ascended the throne, that the real 
 feelings produced by the new opinions were displayed, or the work 
 of robbery and destruction fully commenced. 
 
CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ON THE RAVAGES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES UNDER EDWARD VI, 
 AND AFTER THE FINAL ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW OPINIONS 
 BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT. 
 
 altar cloatijs lit scattcrcU, antr 
 ^^txt Bocs a liroften altar stanU ; 
 Some 6tf al atoaj? tije crucifix ; 
 ^nU Bomc tfjc mVoev canUlcsticfes ; 
 Htci) bcstmcttts otijcrs Do conbcg, 
 anD anttpcntJiums ijcar aiuai) ; 
 ^ntJ h)f)at tl)C2 tijougijt not ilit to steal, 
 E^t^ ijurn as an effect of ?cal, 
 
 ISSarti's ileformatton. 
 
 Disastrous as the latter part of Henry's reign proved to religion and 
 ecclesiastical architecture, the succeeding one of Edward VI was 
 doubly so. 
 
 The Church in this country had then for its supreme head a boy 
 of nine years of age, incapable, of course, of either thinking or acting 
 for himself, and fit only to be used as a mere machine, by those who 
 actually constituted the government. 
 
 These consisted, unhappily, of men who considered Church pro- 
 perty in no other light than that of a legitimate source of plunder, 
 and who, fearing that, should the ancient religion be restored, they 
 would not only lose all chance of further enriching themselves, but 
 might even be compelled to restore that which they had so iniqui- 
 tously obtained, resolved on forming a new system, dependant wholly 
 on the temporal power, under colour of which they might pillage with 
 impunity ; and by abolishing all the grand and noble accompaniments 
 which had, for so many centuries, rendered the sacred rites of religion 
 so solemn and imposing, secure to their own use all those ornaments 
 which served for these purposes, reduce a large number of the clergy. 
 
28 
 
 RAVAGES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES 
 
 and even demolish vast portions of the fabrics themselves, either to 
 avail themselves of the materials, or benefit by their sale. 
 
 In order to accomplish these ends, those of the old bishops who 
 would not consent to the impoverishment of their sees were displaced, 
 and their bishoprics filled by men who were willing to surrender large 
 portions of their temporalities to those in power,* in order to obtain 
 a dignity to which they had no legitimate right, and almost as little 
 reasonable expectation of ever possessing. 
 
 The perfidious and dissembling Cranmer, who during the lifetime 
 of Henry had outwardly conformed to the old system, now threw ofi* 
 the mask, declared himself a bitter enemy to what he had professed 
 all his life, and, in order to ingratiate himself with the favourites of 
 the day, was base enough to surrender into their hands half the lands 
 belonging to the See of Canterbury. 
 
 All the Church lands were everywhere reduced in a similar manner, 
 and appropriated to the aggrandisement of the nobility's estates ; nor 
 were the spoliations by any means confined to landed ecclesiastical pro- 
 perty : for the protector, Somerset, having conceived the design of 
 erecting a sumptuous mansion in the Strand, caused the demolition of 
 the magnificent cloisters of St. Paul's, the nave of St. Bartholomew's 
 priory church in Smitlifield (which had just been completed), five 
 churches, and three bishops' palaces, for materials — so little veneration 
 for religion or art did these new churchmen profess. Nor, after this, 
 can further proof be wanting to show the total absence of all respect 
 for buildings dedicated to religious worship, when the lord protector, 
 who was nominally the supreme head of the English Church, demo- 
 lishes large portions of the metropolitan cathedral, and a host of 
 ecclesiastical edifices, to gratify a mere vain whim of his own.-f 
 
 To carry on this work of devastation and robbery, under the cover 
 of restoring primitive simplicity and abolishing superstition. Acts were 
 passed for defacing images, pulling down altars, and seizing on all those 
 ecclesiastical ornaments which had escaped the rapacious hands of 
 Henry's commissioners, or which had been sufiered to remain as being 
 
 * See Appendix, H. f See Appendix, I. 
 
UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH. 
 
 29 
 
 absolutely necessary to perform the rites in the ancient manner ; and 
 so effectually were the churches now cleared out, that only one 
 chalice and paten were suffered to remain in each.* The lay re- 
 formers took infinite pains that none of the new rites and ceremonies 
 should either be irksome or expensive, or that they should impede in 
 any way the plunder that was going on by introducing the use of 
 any thing valuable or imposing. In fact, from the moment the new 
 religion was established, all the great Ecclesiastical Edifices ceased to 
 be of any real utility ; the new rites could equally well have been 
 performed in a capacious barn, only the. policy of these reformers' 
 -caused them to leave a few of the buildings, and retain some of the 
 old titles, in order to secure the lands and oblations which, without 
 some such show, they thought it would be impossible to retain and 
 •collect. It is to this feeling that we are indebted for the preserva- 
 tion of those cathedrals we now see : do not imagine, reader, it was 
 the wonders of their construction or the elegance of their design that 
 operated with these reformers for their preservation. It was not the 
 loftiness of Salisbury's spire, the vastness of Ely's lantern, the light- 
 ness of Gloucester's choir, or the solemn grandeur of Wykeham's nave 
 at Winchester, that caused them to be singled out and spared in the 
 general havoc. There are mouldering remains scattered over the face 
 of this country which mark the spots where once, in gigantic splen- 
 dour, stood churches equally vast, equally fine, with those we now 
 behold. Glastonbury, Crowland, Reading, St. Edmund's, and many 
 others, were not inferior to any in scale or grandeur ; they contained 
 tombs of illustrious dead, shrines, chapels, all replete with works of 
 wondrous skill. But they are gone ; condemned to ruin and neglect, 
 they perished piecemeal, and all that now remains of their once 
 glorious piles are some unshapen masses of masonry, too firmly 
 cemented to render their demolition lucrative. 
 
 And in a similar state should we now behold the cathedrals, had 
 it not been arranged to keep just as much of the old system as would 
 serve for the professors of the^new ; for these reformers, although 
 
 * See Appendix, J. 
 
30 
 
 RAVAGES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES 
 
 they professed to revive the simplicity of the apostles in all such 
 matters, the continuation of which entailed expense or irksome duty 
 on them, were quite unwilling to become imitators of their poverty. 
 No, that was another question ; they did not quarrel with the popish 
 names of dean, canon, or prebend, because good incomes were at- 
 tached to them, although I never heard of any of these dignitaries 
 being mentioned in Holy Writ, which to persons utterly rejecting the 
 tradition of the Church ought to have proved an insuperable objec- 
 tion. But an altar, which with its daily lighting and decoration 
 entailed a considerable expense, and as its rich appendages formed 
 no inconsiderable plunder, it was condemned to be pulled down, and a 
 common square table set in its place, as being, forsooth, more agree- 
 able to apostolic use.* Why did not these restorers of simplicity fly 
 the churches, and muster in an upper chamber ? because then they 
 must have renounced all pretensions to the lands ; and so they sat 
 down content in the same stalls, and in the same choir as that which 
 had so lately been occupied by their Catholic predecessors. 
 
 This is only one among the many inconsistencies that attended 
 the foundation of the Establishment ; and I only mention it to show, 
 to what base and sordid motives we are indebted for the partial 
 preservation of what remains, and how little any feelings, except 
 those of interest and expediency, had any part in it. I have hitherto 
 described the dreadful results which were produced on the buildings 
 by the combined ravages of avarice and fanaticism ; I will now pro- 
 ceed to show how materially they continued to suffer, when the new 
 system was, finally, by law established. 
 
 The altars had everywhere been demolished ; the stained windows 
 in many places dashed from the mullions they had so brilliantly 
 filled ; the images of the saints left headless in their mutilated niches, 
 or utterly defaced ; the cross, that great emblem of human redemp- 
 tion, everywhere trampled under foot ; the carved work broken down ; 
 the tabernacles destroyed ; and the fabrics denuded as far as possible, 
 
 * Hooper the puritan was the author of this horrible profanation ; his suggestion, as Heylin 
 says, being eagerly caught up hy those about the court, who anticipated no small p7-oJit tlierchi). 
 
UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH. 
 
 31 
 
 of those appearances which would announce them as having been 
 devoted to the celebration of the solemn offices of the ancient Church, 
 and left as bare as the strictest disciple of the Genevan Church could 
 desire. 
 
 Plunder was likewise nearly over ; all that was rich and valuable 
 had long disappeared ; even brass was becoming scarce ; and the 
 leaden coffins of the dead had been so exhausted, they could but 
 rarely be found to supply the melting-pot.* 
 
 Further excesses were forbidden ; the buildings were declared to be 
 sufficiently purified of ancient superstition ; the axe and the hammer 
 were laid by ; and the shattered edifices were ordained to undergo a 
 second ordeal, almost as destructive as the first, in being fitted up 
 for the new form of worship : and, when we reflect on the horrible 
 repairs, alterations, and demolitions, that have taken place in our 
 venerable edifices, — ever directed by a tepid and parsimonious clergy, 
 brutal and jobbing parochial authorities, and ignorant and tasteless 
 operatives, — I do not hesitate to say, that the lover of ancient art 
 has more to regret, during the period that the churches have been 
 used for their present purposes, than even during the fatal period in 
 which they were first desecrated. 
 
 The manner of preparing the churches for the exercise of the new 
 liturgy, consisted in blocking up the nave and aisles, with dozing- 
 pens, termed pews;f above this mass of partitions rose a rostrum, 
 for the preacher, reader, and his respondent ; whilst a square table, 
 surmounted by the king's arms, which had everywhere replaced the 
 crucified Redeemer, conclude the list of necessary erections, — which, 
 I need hardly say, were as unsightly as the ancient arrangements 
 were appropriate and beautiful. 
 
 Had propriety and fitness been considered, instead of economy, the 
 
 * See Appendix, K. 
 
 -f- It does not appear, on close investigation, that pews were generally introduced as early 
 as Edwai'd VI : they certainly did not attain the Jull groxvth till the reign of Charles II ; nor 
 did the internal fittings of the country parish churches suffer any considerable mutilation till 
 the ascendancy of the puritanic faction under Cromwell, to whose withering influence half the 
 departures from solemnity and ancient observance, which so degrade the present establishment, 
 .are to be traced. 
 
32 RAVAGES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES 
 
 old churches would have been abandoned altogether, and places of 
 worship erected very similar to the dissenting chapels of the present 
 day ; for all that was required, and, indeed, what was most appropriate 
 for Protestant service, was a large room, well-aired, well-ventilated ; a 
 pulpit in such a situation that all the congregation might hear and 
 see well ; a communion-table in the middle,* and two or three tiers 
 of galleries ; by means of which a large auditory might be crammed 
 into a small space.f 
 
 The old buildings are the very reverse of all this, and totally unfit 
 for any worship but that for which they had been erected ; but there 
 they were, and, fitting or not, they were used for the new service; hence 
 come all the incongruities we see in all ancient parochial churches. 
 The aisles cut to pieces by galleries of all sizes, and heights ; the nave 
 blocked up with pews ; screens cut away ; stalls removed from their 
 old position in the chancel, and set about in odd places ; chauntry 
 chapels turned into corporation pews ; wooden panelling, of execrable 
 design, smeared over with paint, set up with the Creed and Com- 
 mandments, entirely covering some fine tabernacle work, the project- 
 ing parts of which have been cut away to receive it. Large portions 
 of the church, for which there is no use, walled ofi", to render the 
 preaching place more snug and comfortable ; porches enclosed and 
 turned into engine-houses,f and a host of other wretched mutila- 
 tions ; and, when all has been done, what are they but inconvenient, 
 inappropriate buildings, for the purpose they are used for ? And, I 
 am grieved to say, these enormities are not confined to obscure 
 villages, or even large parochial churches : abominations equally vile 
 with those I have above stated, and far more reprehensible, as pro- 
 ceeding from men whose name, education, and station, would have 
 
 * See Appendix, L. 
 
 •f By the real decrees of the estabhshment, the chui'ches and chancels were required to 
 remain as in times past : but, notwithstanding, the Genevan doctrines imported with Bucer 
 and Peter Martyr made such rapid progress, that many of the finest churches were soon con- 
 verted into mere preaching-houses for the propagation of the most pestilential errors, and the 
 sanctity of the chancels shamefully disregarded. See Appendix, No. I. 
 
 I The beautiful southern porch of the once magnificent church at Howden, Lincolnshire,, 
 has just been converted into a vestry. 
 
UNDER EDWARD THE SIXTH. 33 
 
 led US to hope for better things, are to be found in collegiate and 
 cathedral churches, which are under the control of the highest class, 
 as in those edifices which are confided to the management of the 
 ignorant. See Appendix, No. II. 
 
 I have now, I trust, shown how intimately the fall of ecclesiastical 
 architecture in this country, is connected with the growth of Pro- 
 testant principles. 
 
 I first showed the stop it received through the destructions of the 
 rapacious Henry, and the utter loss of those feelings, by which it had 
 been carried on so successfully, for many centuries. 
 
 I then exhibited how avarice and fanaticism, both produced by 
 the new opinions, had instigated the plunder and destruction of all 
 those splendid ornaments which, under the fostering care of the 
 ancient faith, enriched and embellished every sacred pile. 
 
 Further, I have shown to what base and sordid motives we are 
 indebted for the preservation of what is now left ; and, lastly, I have 
 shown that, in order to render the churches available for the new 
 system, many of their grandest features were destroyed, and their 
 ancient and appropriate arrangement violated. 
 
 There is one more result which I have not yet described, but it is 
 one of the most dreadful, the most disastrous, and one which efiectu- 
 ally prevents the possibility of achieving great ecclesiastical works : 
 it is the entire loss of religious unity among the people. When the 
 Common Prayer and Articles had been set forth, heavy fines were 
 imposed, and even death was inflicted, on those who did not receive 
 them as the only rule of faith or form of religious worship ;* and by 
 such means as these, men had been driven for a short time into an 
 outward show of uniformity. But where was the inward unity of 
 soul — where that faith that had anciently bound men together ? 
 Alas ! that was utterly fled. Where were the spontaneous offerings, 
 the heartfelt tribute, the liberal endowments, by which the ancient 
 Church had been supported, and the glorious works achieved ? The 
 scene was entirely changed, and not only had these feelings ceased, 
 but the commonest and most necessary repairs of those very build- 
 
 * See Appendix, M. 
 
34 RAVAGES AND DESTRUCTION OF THE CHURCHES, ETC. 
 
 ings, which had been raised in splendour by the voluntary offerings of 
 the people, were only effected by rates, wrung by fear of law from the 
 unwilling parishioners, two-thirds of whom, from different motives, 
 equally detested the form that had been forced upon them, and which 
 they were compelled to support. No longer were village priests 
 looked on as pastors of the people, or those high in ecclesiastical 
 authority with veneration and respect ; the former were considered 
 only as a sort of collectors, placed to receive dues they were com- 
 pelled to pay, while the latter were eyed with jealousy by the 
 avaricious nobles,* and looked on by the majority of the j^eople as a 
 useless class of state officers. The increase of these feelings within 
 one century of its first establishment caused the overthrow of the 
 new religion, and the entire suspension of its rites, during the rule of 
 the usurper, Cromwell, a period of English history too well known to 
 need dilating on ; and which same feelings attended its revival with 
 the restoration of the Stuarts, and even at this present day are openly 
 manifested by a vast body of the people. 
 
 It is right to remark, that a great part of the dreadful devastation 
 described in this chapter, was caused by the rapacity of the govern- 
 ment or temporal power into whose hands the perfidious Cranmer 
 and his apostate associates had betrayed the clergy of the Church of 
 England, who were compelled in a great measure to be passive spec- 
 tators of their own ruin. Even those who framed the new liturgy 
 had no intention of any very wide departure from ancient Catholic 
 practices ; but having been once drawn into the vortex of innovation, 
 they were forced on by the Calvinistic faction, who profiting by the 
 confusion, stript the defenceless Church of its solemn rites, the better 
 to plunder its revenues. Many holy and venerable customs were 
 weakly surrendered, in the vain hope of inducing these pestilent 
 heretics to conform, but, as might have been expected, with miser- 
 able success ; for at this very day the dissenters clamour as loudly in 
 opposition to the poor shadow of ancient discipline that has been 
 preserved, as they did against the solemnities of the Church in all 
 her ancient glory. 
 
 * See Appendix, N. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 STfie Bjiot t^at angels Detgncti to grace, 
 3£s tilesseO ti^ougf) rotibers liaunt tf)t place. 
 
 I WILL now proceed to examine the present state of ancient Ecclesi- 
 astical buildings, after three centuries of mingled devastation, neglect, 
 and vile repair, have passed over them. 
 
 In the first place, I will commence with the cathedrals, the most 
 splendid monuments of past days which remain, and, therefore, the 
 most deserving of first consideration. 
 
 No person thoroughly acquainted with ecclesiastical antiquities, 
 and who has travelled over this country for the j3urpose of attentively 
 examining those wonderful edifices, which, though shorn of more than 
 half their beauties, still proudly stand pre-eminent over all other 
 structures that the puny hand of modern times has raised beside them, 
 but must have felt the emotions of astonishment and admiration, that 
 their first view has raised within him, rapidly give place to regret and 
 disgust at the vast portion of them that has been wantonly defaced, 
 and for the miserable unfitness of the present tenants for the vast 
 and noble edifices they occupy. 
 
 When these gigantic churches were erected, each portion of them 
 was destined for a particular use, to which their arrangement and 
 decoration perfectly corresponded. Thus the choir was appropriated 
 solely to the ecclesiastics, who each filled their respective stalls ; the 
 nave was calculated for the immense congregation of the people, who, 
 without reference to rank or wealth, were promiscuously mixed in the 
 public worship of God ; while the aisles afl'orded ample space for the 
 solemn processions of the clergy. 
 
 The various chapels, each with its altar, were served by different 
 
36 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 priests, who at successive hours of the morning, commencing at six, 
 said masses, that all classes and occupations might be enabled to devote 
 some portion of the day to religious duties. The cloisters formed a quiet 
 and sheltered deambulatory for the meditation of the ecclesiastics ; and 
 the chapter-house was a noble chamber, where they frequently met and 
 settled on spiritual and temporal affairs relating to their office. 
 
 These churches were closed only for a few hours during the night, 
 in order that they might form the place from whence private prayers 
 and supplications might continually be offered up. But of what use 
 are these churches now ? do their doors stand ever open to admit the 
 devout ? No ; excepting the brief space of time set apart twice a day 
 to keep up the form of worship, the gates are fast closed, nor is it 
 possible to obtain admittance within the edifice without a fee to the 
 guardian of the keys. Ask the reason of this, and the answer will be, 
 that if the churches were left open they would be completely defaced, 
 and even become the scene of the grossest pollutions. If this be true, 
 which I fear it is, what, I ask, must be the moral and religious state 
 of a country, where the churches are obliged to be fastened up to pre- 
 vent their being desecrated and destroyed by the people ? how must 
 the ancient devotion and piety have departed ? Indeed, so utterly 
 are all feelings of private devotion lost in these churches, that were 
 an individual to kneel in any other time than that actually set apart 
 for Divine service, or in any other part of the edifice but that which 
 is inclosed, he would be considered as a person not sound in his intel- 
 lect, and probably be ordered out of the building. No ; cathedrals 
 are visited from far different motives, by the different classes of 
 persons who go to them. The ,first are those who, being connected 
 with or living near a cathedral, attend regularly every Sunday by 
 rote ; the second are those who, not having any taste for prayers, but 
 who have some ear for music, drop in, as it is termed, to hear the 
 anthem ; the third class are persons who go to see the church. They 
 are tourists ; they go to see everything that is to be seen ; therefore 
 they see the church, — id est, they walk round, read the epitaphs, think 
 it very pretty, very romantic, very old, suppose it was built in super- 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 37 
 
 stitious times, pace the length of the nave, write their names on a 
 pillar, and whisk out, as they have a great deal more to see and very 
 little time. 
 
 The fourth class are those who, during assize and fair times, go to 
 see the big church built by the old Romans, after they have been to 
 see all the other sights and shows. They are generally a good many 
 together, to make it worth the verger's while to send a satellite round 
 with them to show the wonderful things, and tell them wonderful 
 stories about the monks and nuns ; and after they have gaped round 
 they go out, and the sight serves for talk till they see some fun they 
 like a good deal better. 
 
 Such are most of the classes of visitors to these wondrous fabrics, 
 not one of whom feels in the slightest degree the sanctity of the place 
 or the majesty of the design, and small indeed is the number of those 
 on whom these mutilated but still admirable designs produce their 
 whole and great effect. Few are there who, amid the general change 
 and destruction they have undergone, can conjure up in their minds 
 the glories of their departed greatness, and who, while they bitterly 
 despise the heartless throng that gaze about the sacred aisles, mourn 
 for the remembrance of those ages of faith now passed and gone, 
 which produced minds to conceive and zeal to execute such mighty, 
 glorious works. 'Tis such minds as these that feel acutely the barren, 
 meagre, and inappropriate use to which these edifices have been put ; 
 and to them does the neat and modern churchman appear truly 
 despicable, as he trips from the door to the vestry, goes through the 
 prayers, then returns from the vestry to the door, forming the greatest 
 contrast of all with the noble works which surround him. What part 
 has he, I say, what connexion of soul with the ecclesiastic of ancient 
 days ? Do we see him, when the public service is concluded, kneeling 
 in silent devotion in the quiet retreat of some chapel ? Do we see 
 him perambulating in study and contemplation those vaulted cloisters, 
 which were erected solely for the meditation of ecclesiastical persons ? 
 No ; he only enters the church when his duty compels him ; he quits 
 it the instant he is able ; he regards the fabric but as the source of 
 
38 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 his income ; he lives by religion — 'tis his trade. And yet these men 
 of cold and callous hearts, insensible to every spark of ancient zeal 
 and devotion, will dare to speak with contempt and ridicule of those 
 glorious spirits by whose mighty minds and liberal hearts those 
 establishments have been founded, and from whose pious munificence 
 they derive every shilling they possess. 
 
 Have they not common decent gratitude ? No ; daily do they put 
 forth revilings, gross falsehoods, and libels, on that religion and faith 
 which instigated the foundation and endowments which they enjoy, 
 and under whose incitement alone could the fabrics have been raised 
 which they pretend to admire, Avhile they condemn and ridicule the 
 cause which produced them. 
 
 Can we hope for any good results while such men as these use, or 
 rather possess, these glorious piles ? men who either leave the churches 
 to perish through neglect, or when they conceive they have a little taste, 
 and do lay out some money, commit far greater havoc than even time 
 itself, by the unfitness and absurdity of their alterations. Of this de- 
 scription those made by Bishop Barrington at Salisbury, and conducted 
 by James Wyatt, of execrable memory, deserve the severest censure. 
 During this improvement, as it was termed, the venerable bell-tower, a 
 grand and imposing structure, which stood on the north-west side of the 
 church, was demolished, and the bells and materials sold ; the Hunger- 
 ford and Beauchamp chapels pulled down, and the tombs set up in the 
 most mutilated manner between the pillars of the nave ; and a host 
 of other barbarities and alterations too numerous to recite. 
 
 Nor less detestable was the removal of the ancient tracery and glass 
 from the great eastern and aisle windows of St. George's Chapel, 
 Windsor, and substituting copies of that tame and wooden painter. 
 West ; — designs which would be a disgrace in any situation, and, when 
 thus substituted for the masterly arrangement of the ancient architect, 
 become even more contemptible. In fine, wherever we go, we find that, 
 whether the buildings have been treated with neglect, or attempted 
 to be improved, both results are disastrous in the extreme. 
 
 The fact cannot for one moment be denied, that these edifices are 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 39 
 
 totally unsuited for the present practices of the Establishment, quite 
 deficient in what is now so much studied — comfort ; and since the choir 
 has been applied to the purpose of a parish church, totally wanting 
 in actual sitting room, to gain which the ancient features are being 
 rapidly swept away. What can be so disgusting as to enter the choir of 
 a cathedral church, and to find the stalls nominally appropriated to the 
 dignitaries of the Church, occupied by all classes of lay persons ? and 
 not unfrequently the bishop's throne, the cathedra itself, tenanted, 
 during the absence of the bishop, by some consequential dame ? Nay, 
 so entirely is propriety of arrangement or decorum lost in these 
 churches, that were it not for the presence of a few singing men and 
 boys, and the head of a solitary residentiary peeping above his 
 cushion, one would conclude the assembled group to be a congre- 
 gation of independents, who had occupied the choir for a temporary 
 preaching place. Then the concluding rush out, when singing men, 
 choristers, vicars, and people, make a simultaneous movement to 
 gain the choir-door, produces a scene of the most disgraceful con- 
 fusion. All this has arisen from the alteration of the ancient 
 arrangement of appropriating the choir solely to ecclesiastics ; but 
 this was abandoned by the new churchmen on the consideration that 
 they could never muster a decent show, and so they let the people in 
 to hide the deficiency of their absence. 
 
 This led to pewing choirs, one of the vilest mutilations of eff'ect 
 the cathedrals have ever suff'ered ; for to what do all the altera- 
 tions that have lately been effected in Peterborough and Norwich 
 cathedrals tend, but utterly to destroy the appearance of a choir, 
 filling up the centre with pews and seats, and contracting the 
 grandeur of the open space into a paltry aisle leading to boxes. 
 
 It is in vain to cover the fronts of these seats with tracery and 
 panelling ; the principle of the thing is bad, and all that is done 
 only renders the defect more glaring. 
 
 This picture of the modern state of cathedrals is forcible, but it is 
 not overdrawn ; any one may be satisfied of its truth by inspecting 
 
40 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 the edifices themselves, and the manner in which the services are 
 conducted. 
 
 Go to that wonderful church at Ely, and see the result of neglect : 
 the water, pouring through unclosed apertures in the covering, con- 
 veying ruin into the heart of the fabric ; the opening fissures of the 
 great western tower, which, unheeded and unobserved, are rapidly 
 extending. Then look at what was once the chapter-house, but now 
 filled with pews and vile fittings, brought from the parish church 
 which the chapter refused to repair.* See how the matchless 
 canopies have been pared down and whitewashed. Look on the 
 decay of the whole church, and then remember Ely is yet rich in 
 its revenues. What must be the hearts of those men forming the 
 chapter ? And yet they are but a fair type of many of the others : 
 I only cite them in particular, because Ely is one of the most 
 interesting churches in existence, and it is decidedly in a vile state 
 of repair. 
 
 The same observations will apply to most of the other great 
 churches. Why, Westminster Abbey itself, by far the finest edifice 
 in the metropolis (if cleared of its incongruous and detestable monu- 
 ments), is in a lamentable state of neglect, and is continually being 
 disfigured by the erection of more vile masses of marble. Having 
 occasion lately to examine the interior of this wonderful church, I 
 was disgusted beyond measure at perceiving that the chapel of St. 
 Paul had been half filled up with a huge figure of James Watt, 
 sitting in an arm-chair on an enormous square pedestal, with some 
 tasteless ornaments, which, being totally unlike any Greek or Roman 
 foliage, I suppose to have been intended by the sculptor to be Gothic. 
 This is the production of no less a personage than Sir F. Chantrey. 
 Surely this figure must have been originally intended for the centre 
 of some great terrace-garden ; it never could have been designed for 
 the interior of the abbey : for so offensive is it in its present position, 
 that if Sir Francis did really so design it, he deserves to be crushed 
 
 * See Appendix, O. 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 41 
 
 under its great pedestal, to prevent him again committing so great 
 an outrage on good taste. 
 
 But is this noble edifice for ever to be blocked up and mutilated 
 by the continual erection of these most inappropriate and tasteless 
 monuments ? Have not the dean and chapter sufficient authority to 
 prevent their erection ? But what can we expect or hope for from 
 them, when they suffer filthy dolls to be exhibited within the 
 sacred walls, to render the show-place more attractive to the 
 holiday visitors? Oh, spirits of the departed abbots, could you 
 behold this! The mighty buildings you have raised, the tombs 
 of the great men that lie within them — all is not attractive 
 enough for the mob ; a set of puppets are added, the show 
 draws, and the chapter collects the cash. Oh, vile desecration ! 
 Yet this takes place in the largest church of the metropolis, the 
 mausoleum of our kings ; a place rendered of the highest interest by 
 the art of its construction, and the historical recollections attached 
 to it. 
 
 Can we, then, wonder at what I before asserted, — and, I trust, 
 have since proved, — ^that cathedral churches are become but show- 
 places for the people, and considered only as sources of revenue by 
 ecclesiastics ? 
 
 The neglected state of this once glorious church is a national dis- 
 grace. While tens of thousands are annually voted for comparatively 
 trifling purposes, and hundreds of thousands have been very lately 
 expended in mere architectural deformity, not even a small grant to 
 keep the sepulchral monuments of our ancient kings in repair, has 
 ever been proposed ; and it is quite surprising to see the utter apathy 
 that exists amongst those who, both by their birth and station, might 
 be looked upon as the legitimate conservators of our national antiqui- 
 ties. Where can we find another spot, I will not say in England, but 
 in Europe, which contains so many splendid monuments of ancient 
 art — doubly interesting from the historical associations connected 
 with them? If we stand immediately behind the high altar screen, 
 of exquisite tabernacle work and curious imagery, we have presented 
 
 9 
 
42 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 at one view the tombs of Edward I, invader of Scotland ; Henry III, 
 rebuilder of the vast abbey itself ; the faithful and amiable Queen 
 Eleanor ; Henry V, the conqueror of France ; Edward III and his 
 queen Philippa ; King Richard II; and last, but not least, the shrine 
 of St. Edward, which, although despoiled of its rich and sumptuous 
 ornaments, still contains the more precious deposit of the relics of 
 that holy confessor, whose virtues have even survived the calumnies 
 of the so-called Reformation, and still are held up to the imitation of 
 our monarchs at the solemnity of their coronation. 
 
 Through the arched chantry of Henry V, are seen the massive 
 brazen gates and grand entrance to the monumental chapel of the 
 seventh Henry — a matchless example of the latter style. Beyond 
 the tombs I have been describing, extend the aisles and lateral 
 chapels, filled with monumental effigies of ecclesiastical and noble 
 personages, all celebrated in English chronicles, and of surpassing 
 beauty of execution ; and these are contained at the extre'tne end of 
 a church of immense length, and whose groined canopy reaches more 
 than one hundred feet from the tessellated pavement — a church whose 
 history is interwoven with that of the country itself, and should be 
 inconceivably dear to us from its religious, ancient, and national 
 associations. It is not necessary for a man to be an architect, an 
 antiquary, an artist, to understand the vast claims which the abbey 
 of St. Peter's, Westminster, has upon his respect and veneration. If 
 he possess but one spark of that love of country and pride of nation 
 that ought to be found in every man's breast, he would view with 
 religious respect every stone of this noble structure ; but it is soul- 
 sickening to sit day by day, as I have done, and see the class of people 
 who come to inspect this church, and the feelings with which they 
 perambulate its sacred aisles — a mere flock of holiday people who 
 come to London to see sights, and take the Abbey on their way to 
 the Surrey Zoological Gardens. It might naturally have been 
 expected that, from its vicinity to the Houses of Parliament, the 
 Catholic members would occasionally enter its sacred walls, and try 
 to imbibe some of the devotional spirit of ancient days, which its 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 43 
 
 venerable architecture and sepulchral memorials could hardly fail to 
 impart, and which should be no small consolation and relief to a 
 Catholic mind, compelled to sit during the noisy debates of political 
 warfare. But I much question if these gentlemen have ever pene- 
 trated westward of Henry the Seventh's Chapel. The apathy of 
 royalty towards this sacred fabric is truly melancholy ; we hear much 
 of the interest certain distinguished personages take in the perfor- 
 mances of a learned monkey, or equestrian evolutions, but small 
 regard indeed do they pay to the resting-place of their ancestors. 
 Even should they refuse to contribute a small sum out of the 
 thousands which they annually squander on trifles, towards so pious 
 and worthy an object as the restoration of the national monuments, 
 a visit to the neglected and desecrated pile of Westminster might 
 teach them the instructive lesson that royalty departed is easily for- 
 gotten ; and if the memory of those great kings of England, who, by 
 their own personal valour and energy, achieved the most important 
 victories, and were foremost in camp and council, is not sufiicient to 
 procure decent respect to their place of sepulture, into what extreme 
 oblivion and neglect must those sovereigns fall after their death, 
 whose lives ai-e a mere routine of fashionable luxury, their greatest 
 achievement a pony drive, their principal occupation — to dine ! 
 
 I am willing, however, to allow that there has been a vast im- 
 provement of late years in the partial restorations which have been 
 effected in certain cathedral and other churches, as regards the 
 accuracy of moulding and detail. The mechanical part of Gothic 
 architecture is j^retty well understood, but it is the principles which 
 influenced ancient compositions, and the soul which appears in all 
 the former works, which is so lamentably deficient : nor, as I have 
 before stated, can they be regained but by a restoration of the 
 ancient feelings and sentiments. 'Tis they alone that can restore 
 pointed architecture to its former glorious state ; without it all 
 that is done will be a tame and heartless copy, true as far as the 
 mechanism of the style goes, but utterly wanting in that sentiment 
 and feeling that distinguishes ancient design. 
 
44 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 It is for this reason that the modern alterations in the choirs of 
 Peterborough and Norwich, above alkided to, have so bad an effect ; 
 the details individually are accurate and well worked, but the prin- 
 ciple of the design is so contrary to the ancient arrangement, that 
 I do not hesitate to say the effect is little short of detestable. 
 
 The same thing may be remarked at Canterbury, where I am 
 happy to make honourable mention of the restorations. A great deal 
 of money has been expended, and, I may add, judiciously ; indeed, 
 the rebuilding of the north-western tower is an undertaking quite 
 worthy of ancient and better days. 
 
 In these works, as far as recutting mouldings, pateras, bosses, &c., 
 and the repainting and gilding, nothing can be better executed ; but 
 when we come to see the new altar-screen, as it is termed, we are 
 astonished that amid so much art as this vast church contains, some 
 better idea had not suggested itself. It is meagre and poor in the 
 extreme, and not one particle of ancient sentiment about it — it is a 
 bare succession of panels ; but this is the result of modern feelings. 
 When this church was used for the ancient worship, the high altar 
 was the great point of attraction : it was for the sacrifice continually 
 there offered, that the church itself was raised ; neither gold, jewels, 
 nor silver, were spared in its decoration ; on it the ancient artists, 
 burning with zeal and devotion, expended their most glorious com- 
 positions and skill. The mass was gorgeous and imposing ; each 
 detail, exquisite and appropriate. Such a design as this w^as not 
 produced by multiplying a panel till it reached across the choir, nor 
 was it composed to back a common table. No ; the artist felt the 
 glory of the work he was called on to compose ; it was no less than 
 erecting an altar for the performance of the most solemn rites of the 
 Church, and it was the glorious nature of the subject that filled his 
 mind with excellence, and produced the splendid result. From such 
 feelings as these all the ancient compositions emanated ; and I 
 repeat, that without them pointed architecture can never rise beyond 
 the bare copy of the mechanical portions of the art. 
 
 There is no sympathy between these vast edifices and the 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 45 
 
 Protestant worship. So conscious of it were the first propagators 
 of the new doctrines, that they aimed all their malice and invectives 
 against them. The new religion may suit the conventicle and the 
 meeting-house, but it has no part in the glories of ancient days ; the 
 modern Anglican establishment is the only one, among the many 
 systems that sprung up, which retained the principle of cathedral 
 establishments and episcopal jurisdiction : and so badly put together 
 were these remains of ancient Church government with modern 
 opinions and temporal jurisdiction, that they have ever proved the 
 subject of popular clamour, and might be suppressed at any time by 
 a legislative act. 
 
 Then what a prospect to look to ! What new ordeal, what new 
 destruction would these ill-fated fabrics undergo ? The mind shudders 
 at the thought. Would they be walled up as in Scotland, and 
 divided into the preaching houses for the dissenters, the Unitarians, 
 and the freethinkers ? Would they be made into factories or store- 
 houses, like the churches of France during the fatal revolution of 
 1790 ; or ruined, roofless, neglected, be left to decay like the many 
 glorious fabrics that perished at the change of religion, of which only 
 a few mouldering arches remain to indicate the site ? One of these 
 results would in all probability be produced if the present Establish- 
 ment ceased to exist. One ray of hope alone darts through the dismal 
 prospect ; that, ere the fatal hour arrives, so many devout and think- 
 ing men may have returned to Catholic unity, that hearts and hands 
 may be found willing and able to protect these glorious piles from 
 further profanation, and, in the real spirit of former years, restore 
 them to their original glory and worship. 
 
 If we turn from the cathedrals themselves, to examine the ecclesi- 
 astical buildings with which they are surrounded, we shall find the 
 changes and destructions they have undergone, to suit the caprice and 
 ideas of each new occupant, are so great, that it is with considerable 
 difficulty anything like the original design can be traced. 
 
 All the ancient characteristic features have been totally changed, 
 for after the clergy had left off ecclesiastical discipline for ease and 
 
46 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 comfort ; exchanged old hospitality for formal visiting ; and, indeed, 
 become laymen in every other respect but in that of their income and 
 title, they found the old buildings but ill suited to their altered style 
 of living ; what had served for the studious, retired priest, or the 
 hospitable and munificent prelate of ancient days, was very unfit for 
 a married, visiting, gay clergyman, or a modern bishop, whose lady 
 must conform to the usages and movements of fashionable life. 
 
 Hence bishops' palaces have either been pulled down, and rebuilt 
 on a mean and reduced scale, or their grandest features left to decay 
 as useless portions of the building, and the inhabited part repaired 
 in the worst possible taste. Nor have the rectories and canonries 
 escajDed even worse treatment : many of the old buildings have been 
 entirely demolished, and some ugly square mass set up instead ; and 
 all have been miserably mutilated : the private chapel everywhere 
 demolished, or applied to some menial purpose ; * the old oak ceil- 
 ings plastered up ; the panelling removed, or papered over ; mullioned 
 windows cut out, and common sashes fixed in their stead ; great 
 plain brick buildings added, to get some large rooms for parties ; a 
 veranda, and perhaps a conservatory. And by such means as these 
 the canonries are rendered habitable for the three months' residence. 
 
 Then, if we examine the buildings that w^ere anciently erected for 
 the residence of the vicars attached to cathedrals, as at Wells, what a 
 lamentable change have they undergone ! When these buildings were 
 constructed, the vicars were a venerable body of joriests, living in a col- 
 legiate manner within their close ; each one had a lodging, or set of two 
 chambers ; a common hall where they assem bled at meals, and a chape] 
 (over which was a library stored with theological and historical learn- 
 ing), stood at opposite ends of the close. All these buildings were of 
 the most beautiful description, and received great additions from the 
 munificent Bishop Beckington ; and so excellent is the arrangement 
 of every part of this close, and its connexion with the cathedral 
 by a cloister passing over a sumptuous gatehouse, and leading to the 
 chapter-house stair, is so admirably managed, that, notwithstanding 
 
 * See Appendix, P. 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 47 
 
 the vile repairs and mutilations it has suffered, and its present de- 
 graded condition, it is still one of the most interesting specimens of 
 ecclesiastical buildings attached to cathedrals, and will give an 
 excellent idea of the venerable character the residences of ecclesiastics 
 formerly 23resented, and the unison of their appearance with that of 
 the structures to which they formed the appendages. 
 
 But no sooner was the blasting influence of the new opinions felt, 
 than this abode of piety and learning experienced a fatal change. 
 The vicars were reduced to less than a third of their original number, 
 and their lands so pillaged, that this ecclesiastical function was given 
 to laymen, whose only qualification was a trifling skill in vocal music, 
 — that the poor pittance they had left, although quite insufiicient for 
 the support of persons devoted to the duties of their office, might still 
 induce the needy shopkeeper to leave his counter twice in the day, and 
 hurry over the service, to return again to his half-served customers. 
 
 When the buildings, raised by the munificence of Roger de Salopia 
 and Thomas de Beckington, fell into the hands of such men as these, 
 the result may easily be imagined. 
 
 Gradually they sunk into neglect and decay ; the dwellings were 
 rented to various tenants, who altered and changed them to their 
 23leasure ; * and the great hall was used only when some newly- 
 arrived mountebank required a large room to exhibit his feats of 
 dexterity, when it was let out for the occasion, or to serve the even 
 meaner purpose of a dancing academy. 
 
 The library was of little v.use to such men as these, who never 
 required any other book but that of their shop-accounts ; and who, 
 if they ever handled an ancient author, it was only to convert the 
 pages into wrappers for their parcels. 
 
 We cannot, therefore, feel surprised that a few odd leaves of 
 manuscripts, and some imperfect and musty volumes of books, thrown 
 into a corner of the muniment room, are all that remain of a collec- 
 
 * Within four years a baker's shop-front has been inserted in the end gable, adjoining- the 
 dose gate, by the senior vicar ; who unites that useful but incompatible occupation with his 
 choral duties. 
 
48 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 tion, which the learning of its founders leaves us no hesitation in 
 supposing to have been as useful as interesting and curious. 
 
 To such a degraded state are these lay vicars, as they are termed, 
 fallen, that even the keeper of a public tavern is found among their 
 number. Thus, this man, fresh from the fumes of the punch -bowl and 
 tobacco-pipe, and^'with the boisterous calls of the tap ringing in his 
 ears, may be seen running from the bar to the choir, there figuring- 
 away in a surplice, till the concluding prayer allows Mm to rush back, 
 and mingle the response of " Coming, sir," to the amen that has hardly 
 died away upon his lips. 
 
 How can we wonder at the contempt into which the Establishment 
 has fallen, when such disgraceful scenes as these have arisen from its 
 system ? Where, I ask, are the often-boasted blessings which the 
 mis-named Reformation has brought ? where the splendid results so 
 often asserted ? Facts speak for themselves ; and, I trust, I have 
 brought forward a sufficient number to show how dreadfully all 
 classes of ecclesiastical buildings and persons have been ruined and 
 degraded by the introduction of the present system. 
 
 If the limits of this work permitted, I could fully show how baneful 
 and disastrous to art were the effects produced by the Protestants in 
 those foreign countries where they were, at one time, partially estab- 
 lished ; and even in France, where their ascendancy only lasted the 
 brief space of a year, they committed such havoc, that the principal 
 treasures of the churches, and most of the finest specimens of art, 
 were plundered and demolished.* 
 
 Indeed, whether we regard the fanatic Knox in Scotland, the 
 Huguenots of France, the concocters of the English Establishment, or 
 the puritanic faction of Cromwell, we find that, divided as they were 
 on points of their schismatical opinions, they were united, heart and 
 hand, in robbery and destruction. f To them sanctity or art were 
 alike indifferent ; thirst of gold and wanton love of destroying all 
 which exceeded their narrow comprehensions, mingled with the most 
 savage fanaticism, led them to commit crimes and disorders liarrow- 
 
 * See Appendix, Q. f See Appendix, R. 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 A9 
 
 ing to the soul, both on the score of common humanity and the love 
 of noble art.* 
 
 That these feelings have partially subsided, is purely owing to the 
 lukewarm feelings with which religion is regarded by the majority in 
 this country; since, only a few years back, the mere sight of a crucifix 
 or a Madonna would have excited far greater horror, and caused more 
 animadversion amongst the godly of the land, than the most obscene 
 and filthy idol that the grossest superstition of paganism could pro- 
 duce ; I and I do not hesitate to say, that there are many, among the 
 fanatical sects which come under the general denomination of dis- 
 senters, who would exult in the destruction not only of every noble 
 religious edifice that remains, but glory in the extinction of all eccle- 
 siastical authority whatever. 
 
 I cannot conclude this part of my subject without making a few 
 observations on the present system of church and chapel building — a 
 system so vile, so mercenary, and so derogatory to the reverence and 
 honour that should be paid to Divine worship, that it is deserving of 
 the severest censure ; and I will say, that among the most grievous 
 sins of the time, may be ranked those of trying for how small a sum 
 religious edifices can be erected, and how great a percentage can be 
 made, for money advanced for their erection, by the rental of pews. 
 It is a trafficking in sacred things, that vastly resembles that pro- 
 fanation of the temple which drew such indignation from our Divine 
 Redeemer, that, contrary to the mild forbearance he had ever before 
 shown, he cast forth the polluters of the holy place with scourges and 
 stripes. 
 
 Yes ; the erection of churches, like all that was produced by zeal 
 or art in ancient days, has dwindled down into a mere trade. No 
 longer is the sanctity of the undertaking considered, or is the noblest 
 composition of the architect, or the most curious skill of the artificer, 
 to be employed in its erection ; but the minimum it can be done for 
 is calculated from allowing a trifling sum to the room occupied for 
 each sitting ; and the outline of the building, and each window, 
 
 * See Appendix, S. f See Appendix, T. 
 
50 
 
 ON THE PRESENT DEGRADED STATE 
 
 moulding, and ornament, must be made to correspond with this 
 miserable pittance. 
 
 Of the feelings with which the old churchmen undertook the 
 erection of their churches we can easily be acquainted, by referring 
 to the solemn office of the dedication : — 23omus q[uam aelrift'cari bolo 
 domino, talis tsse tsti)ct, tit in cunctis rtgioniijus nommetur; ptac= 
 paralJo, tXQO, ti nectssana, 
 
 • i^agnus tfit ^cus noster supev ontncs fieos; gttts, ergo, poterit 
 praebalcrc ut aetrificet titgnam laco tromunt, 43omine Seits nostcr, omnts 
 i^acc copta, (juam parabunus ut actrtftcavetur tromus nomini sanrto tuo, 
 tit manu ttia est. €tttis prior laonuno trefiit, et retriljuetur ti 1 
 
 The Church commissioners' instructions are the very reverse of 
 these noble sentiments. They require a structure as plain as 
 possible, which can be built for a trifling sum, and of small dimen- 
 sions, both for economy and facilities of hearing the preacher, the 
 sermon being the only part of the service considered ; and I hesitate 
 not to say, that a more meagre, miserable display of architectural 
 skill never was made, nor more improprieties and absurdities com- 
 mitted,* than in the mass of paltry churches erected under the 
 auspices of the commissioners, and which are to be found scattered 
 over every modern portion of the metropolis and its neighbourhood 
 — a disgrace to the age, both on the score of their composition, and 
 the miserable sums that have been allotted for their construction. 
 
 No kind of propriety or fitness has been considered in their 
 composition. Some have porticoes of Greek temples, surmounted by 
 steeples of miserable outline and worse detail. Others are a mixture 
 of distorted Greek and Roman buildings, ; and a host have been built 
 in perfectly nondescript styles, forming the most offensive masses of 
 building. In some cases, the architect has endeavoured to give the 
 shell the appearance of an ancient pointed church, and, by dint of 
 disguising all the internal arrangements, something like an old 
 exterior has been obtained ; but when the interior is seen the 
 whole illusion vanishes, and we discover that what had somewhat 
 
 * See Appendix, U. 
 
OF ECCLESIASTICAL BUILDINGS. 
 
 51 
 
 the appearance of an old Catholic church, is, in reality, nothing 
 but a modern preaching-house, with all its galleries, pews, and other 
 fittings. In fine, so impossible is it to make a grand design suitable 
 to the meagreness of the present worship, that to produce any effect 
 at all, the churches are designed to represent anything but what they 
 really are ; and hence, all the host of absurdities and incongruities, 
 in form and decoration, which abound in modern places built for 
 religious worship. 
 
 With respect to the style of that class of chapels built on specu- 
 lation, it is below criticism. They are erected by men who ponder 
 between a mortgage, a railroad, or a chapel, as the best investment 
 of their money, and who, when they have resolved on relying on the 
 persuasive eloquence of a cushion-thumping, popular preacher, erect 
 four walls, with apertures for windows, cram the same full of seats, 
 which they readily let ; and so greedy after pelf are these chapel- 
 raisers, that they form dry and spacious vaults underneath, which are 
 soon occupied, at a good rent, by some wine and brandy merchant. 
 
 Of the horrible impiety of trading in religious edifices I have 
 spoken more fully above ; and I repeat, that no offence can sooner 
 move the indignation of the Almighty, or provoke his vengeance, 
 than such a prostitution of the name of religion to serve the private 
 interests of individuals. 
 
 In conclusion, althovigh I would not, for one instant, deny that 
 prayers, offered from the humblest edifice that can be raised, would 
 prove as available and acceptable as if proceeding from the most 
 sumptuous fabric, if the means of the people could produce no better; 
 — yet, when luxury is everywhere on the increase, and means and 
 money more plentiful than ever, to see the paltry buildings erected 
 everywhere for religious worship, and the neglected state of the 
 ancient churches, it argues a total want of religious zeal, and a 
 tepidity towards the glory of Divine worship, as disgraceful to the 
 nation, as it must be offensive to the Almighty. 
 
CONCLUSION. 
 
 REFLECTIONS ON THE PROBABLE STATE OF THE ENGLISH CHURCHES, HAD 
 THIS COUNTRY REMAINED IN COMMUNION WITH THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. 
 
 Having now shown the disastrous effects of the Protestant or destruc- 
 tive principle, on Catholic art and architecture in England, it may not 
 be uninstructive to take into consideration the probable results which 
 would have befallen the ancient churches, had Protestantism never 
 been established in this country. Judging from what has occurred 
 during the last three centuries on the Continent, it would be presum- 
 ing far too much to suppose that England alone would have escaped 
 the pestilential influence of Pagan ideas and taste which was spreading 
 over Europe at the period of England's schism, and of which even 
 some indications were perceptible* in the latter pointed erections; 
 and there is but too great reason to believe that had the destructive 
 spirit been suppressed, the restorative or classic rage would have 
 been almost as fatal to Catholic art. As it is, everything glorious 
 about the English churches is Catholic, everything debased and 
 hideous, Protestant. This is certainly a melancholy superiority to 
 the foreign churches, which present, in their solemn constructions, 
 and paltry and incongruous fittings, a most lamentable contrast 
 between the ancient spirit and modern practices of Catholicism, setting 
 forth at one view the summit of excellence, and the lowest depth of 
 degradation. A fine old Catholic church used for Protestant service, 
 
 * In Wolsey's palace of Hampton Court, the heads in terra-cotta on the turrets of the inner 
 gatehouse, represent four of the Caesars. Bishop Gardener's tomb at Winchester exhibits a 
 variety of debased or ItaHan features and details. 
 
 In the Coinitess of Salisbury's chantry in the Priory church of Christ's Church, Hampshire, 
 are several details in what is termed the rcititi.s.siOHr style. Many instances might be cited to 
 prove that germs of the revived pagan style existed in England }jre\ ious to the separation of 
 the English Church from Catholic connnunion. 
 
ON THE PROBABLE STATE OF THE ENGLISH CHURCHES, ETC. 53 
 
 is indeed a melancholy sight, but scarcely less melancholy is it to see 
 modern Catholics with their own hands polluting and disfiguring, 
 by pagan emblems and theatrical trumpery, the glorious structures 
 raised by their ancestors in the faith.* The consideration of modern 
 degeneracy tends to alleviate the sorrow we feel at Protestant 
 ravages. Far better is it to see the great abbeys of England, ruined 
 and roofless as they are, than to behold them degraded into mere 
 
 * What, indeed, can be more agonizing to a faithful CathoHc, than to behold the clergy 
 themselves (the legitimate guardians of these ancient fabrics, the successors of those holy and 
 learned ecclesiastics who were at once the architects and ministers of the temple), filled with 
 the most anti-Christian ideas of art, and united in the destruction of the venerable remains of 
 Catholic dignity, to introduce the bastard pagan style, the very date of which is coeval with 
 the decay of faith, and decline of their influence ? Many churches in France have escaped the 
 ravages of the Huguenots and Calvinists, — many the tremendous revolutions of 1790 ; but not 
 one has been preserved from the innovating and paltry taste of the modern clergy. Were 
 they to confine the display of their wretched ideas to mere fittings which could easily be 
 removed, the case would not be so distressing, but the fabrics themselves are frequently muti- 
 lated past restoration by these wholesale destructives. The Count de Montalembert gives a 
 harrowing description of these barbarities, the truth of many of which I have confirmed by 
 actual observation. Hundreds of stained windows have been either sold out, or destroyed, to 
 be replaced by white panes ; the most curious frescoes and rich painted ceilings have been 
 mercilessly covered by thick coats of white and yellow wash, the usual modern decorations of 
 ecclesiastical buildings. Every vestige of internal sculpture or ancient art has been destroyed, 
 to be replaced by the odious productions of modern manufacturers — " cTohjets (TegUses^'' while 
 the new altars present every possible combination of outrageous architecture and paltry orna- 
 ment, and these are not unfrequently placed in such a position as to conceal the most interest- 
 ing portions of the original buildings. It is quite impossible to enter a French church without 
 being thoroughly disgusted with the extreme contempt of antiquity and degraded taste which 
 their fittings and ornaments display. The result of this is truly lamentable ; for few men are 
 sufficiently instructed in these matters, to discriminate between really Catholic productions, 
 and the wretched externals of modern paganism, which disguise the solemnities of the Church, 
 or to draw the vast distinction between the ancient solemn celebration of the Eucharistic 
 Sacrifice, and the theatrical trumpery of a modern fete. Many devout and well-intentioned 
 persons, who are conscious of the insufficiency of the Protestant system, and are favourably 
 disposed towards Catholic truth, go abroad full of expectation, and return utterly disheartened 
 by what they have beheld, and which they attribute to the effect of Catholicism, instead of 
 being the result of the opposite principle. Could they but have seen one of these very churches, 
 now so disfigured, as it appeared in all its venerable grandeur during the ages of faith, how 
 difi^erent would have been the result produced on their mind ; but while the present childish 
 and tinsel ornaments are mixed up with the most sacred rites, and bedizened dolls exhibited 
 as representations of our blessed Lady, it is impossible for a mei-e observer to receive any but 
 unfavourable impressions from the externals of religion ; and to this cause may we principally 
 attribute the very small number of conversions among the numerous travellers who annually 
 visit Catholic countries. — See Appendix, No. 3. 
 
54 
 
 REFLECTIONS ON THE PROBABLE STATE 
 
 means of revenue, and held m commendam by some tonsured child, 
 or converted into a luxurious abode for a few nominal monks. Our 
 English monasteries were cut off in their glory, in the midst of 
 boundless hospitality and regular observance.* We can trace no 
 sign of pagan novelties about their venerable ruins — all these breathe 
 of faith, of charity, of contemplation, of austerity and prayer ; and 
 we can visit these solemn remains of ancient piety with unalloyed 
 reverence and regret, but not so the abbatial remains of France, 
 where the pointed arch and Christian sculpture of the St. Louis is 
 mingled with the fantastic compositions of Francis the First, and 
 the ultra-paganism of the " grand monarque." After the fatal Con- 
 cordat, many of these once-famous houses lingered on till their final 
 suppression in 1790. Large masses of hideous modern Italian build- 
 ings f filled with vast apartments of pagan design, had either been 
 
 * In the very act by which the lesser monasteries were suppressed, the great houses were 
 declared to be without blame. 
 
 It is truly edifying to see how exactly the rule was observed in Durham Abbey, one of the 
 richest houses in England up to the time of its suppression. The vast wealth and possessions 
 of the monks were entirely employed in charity, hospitality, and the advancement of learning 
 and art, while they lived in a truly monastic state, sleeping in a common dormitory, rising 
 at midnight to matins, remaining content with one fire in winter-time, and passing their 
 whole time in devotion and study. I have printed some interesting extracts from a scarce 
 book called The A ntiquities of Durham, in the Appendix, which will fully illustrate these facts. 
 — See Appendix, No. 4. 
 
 -I" At the Abbey of St. Ouen, Rouen, a sort of palace, now the Hotel de Ville, was erected 
 for the residence of the few monks, which resided in that famous house during the seventeenth 
 century, who having abandoned all regular observances of the cloister, resided in separate 
 suites of spacious apartments ; and while they expended an immense sum for their own per- 
 sonal luxury, suffered the western end of their unrivalled church to remain in the unfinished 
 state in which it was left before the Concordat, and which the amount they squandered away 
 in this irregular lodging, would have amply sufficed to complete. The contrast between the 
 abbatial church of St. Denis, near Paris, and the conventional buildings erected during the 
 reign of Louis XIV, is painfully striking. The former is a noble specimen of monastic archi- 
 tecture, raised under the auspices of the illustrious Suger ; the latter a mere classic sort of 
 barrack, undistinguishable by its architecture and arrangement from the hotels of that period. 
 
 Even the venerable Abbey of Jumieges was disfigured by similar erections, which are to be 
 found in almost all the abbatial buildings of France. At St. Wandrille, an abbey near Can- 
 debec, on the Seine, whose foundations date of the highest Christian antiquity of Normandy, 
 the whole of the conventional buildings, with the exception of the cloisters, were reconstiiicted 
 during the seventeenth century, in the worst style of French architecture ; and the ancient 
 chapter-house, which contained the tombs of several canonized abbots, was demolished, to be 
 
OF THE ENGLISH CHUKCHES, ETC. 
 
 55 
 
 added to, or eveii replaced the conventual refectory and dormitory ; 
 and not unfrequently these degenerate monks had transformed their 
 ancient and solemn church, as far as possible, into a semi-pagan 
 or Italian building, by encasing the pillars with pilasters, inserting 
 semies under the pointed arches, and disguising the original features 
 by festoons, clouds, and similar monstrosities. 
 
 So fatal, indeed, has this rage for pagan novelties proved to 
 Christian art, that after all the demolitions and destruction they 
 have escaped, the old English churches have retained more of their 
 original features, than most of those on the Continent. They have 
 had all the advantages of neglect, and to Protestant apathy we are not 
 a little indebted, — for both of these are great preservatives of an- 
 tiquity, when compared to either modern innovation or restoration. 
 
 Salisbury Cathedral suffered more under its pretented restoration 
 by Bishop Barrington, than during the three preceding centuries, 
 including the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and the rule of 
 the usurper Cromwell. It is not unfrequently remarked how glorious 
 these ancient churches would appear if restored to Catholic worship ; 
 and glorious indeed would they be could we but revive the old 
 solemnity ; but, owing to the long persecution and other causes, to 
 such a low ebb are the ancient ideas and feelings fallen, that I much 
 question the probability of finding sufficient English Catholics in any 
 one place who would understand the real use of one of these vast 
 piles, much better than their Protestant possessors ; and supposing 
 they had them in their possession, it is not improbable that many 
 choir screens would be demolished, stalls removed, and after a 
 
 replaced by a mere modern room, while the sacred remains of the illustrious and saintly dead 
 were treated with almost Calvinistic irreverence, and scattered among the rubbish. I have 
 printed a full account of this proceeding in the Appenix, No. 5. 
 
 It is most interesting to observe the great similarity that exists between the proceedings 
 of modern pagans and Protestants. The Protestant canons of Durham only a few years since 
 demolished the magnificent chapter-house of that abbey, and erected a common sitting-room, 
 such as might be found in any ordinary inn, in its stead. Both the chapter-houses of St. 
 Wandrille and Durham were erected under the influence of the Catholic principle ; the former 
 was demolished by degenerate monks acting under the revived pagan ideas ; the latter by 
 degenerate canons instigated by Protestant principles. 
 
56 
 
 REFLECTIONS ON THE PROBABLE STATE 
 
 host of other barbarous innovations, as the people could not see the 
 high altar through a pillar, or hear the preacher at the extreme end of 
 the nave, the buildings would be condemned as inconvenient and 
 uncomfortable, and by no means comparable to the new galleried 
 assembly rooms used for Catholic worship at the present day, and 
 which have even been built, as if in mockery, under the very walls of 
 our venerable cathedrals.* Indeed, a vast change must take place in 
 the minds of many modern Catholics, to render them really worthy 
 of these stupendous monuments of ancient piety, and heaven forbid 
 that they should ever be restored to a/tiythmg less than their former 
 glory ; for who could wish to see the cathedrals, where a St. Thomas 
 or a St. Hugh celebrated the holy mysteries in ample chasuble and 
 solemn chaunt, disgraced by buckram vestments of last Lyons cut, a 
 semi-pagan altar, and the theatrical quaverings of a Warwick Street- 
 choir ? It is a most melancholy truth that there does not exist much 
 sympathy of idea between a great portion of the present Catholic 
 body in England and their glorious ancestors, and they have fre- 
 quently abandoned ancient traditions to follow the tide of innovations 
 and paltry novelties. Is there a worldly hollow expedient started by 
 some half-fledged sect of Protestants to collect cash, — it is often 
 adopted. Does some hideous mass of modern deformity rise under 
 the name of a church, — it is not unfrequently preferred to an ancient 
 and appropriate model. Nay, the holy mysteries themselves have 
 been made a vehicle for raising temporary supplies, and their cele- 
 bration has been placarded about walls as affording a musical treat 
 
 * Hereford presents two striking examples of modern Catholic and Protestant degeneracy ; 
 the new church built close to the cathedral, is an attempt to adapt pagan architecture to Chris- 
 tian purposes ; and although it has cost double the sum required for a Catholic parish church, 
 it is a miserable failure. The west end of the cathedi'al was rebuilt a few years since by James 
 Wyatt, of Salisbury-destroying notoriety, and at the same time a large room \\-as erected 
 for concerts on the site of the west cloister, under the Protestant system, — both vile burlesques 
 of the pointed style. It is difficult to say which of these works exhibit the greatest departure 
 from true Catholic principles. 
 
 The new Catholic church at Bury St. Ednmnd's, is another semi-pagan abortion. Having 
 occasion lately to inspect the glorious remains of ancient art in that venerable town, I could 
 not avoid remarking, that, excepting the new hotel, it was the most uncatholic-looking building 
 in the whole place. 
 
OF THE ENGLISH CHURCHES, ETC. 
 
 57 
 
 to the lovers of harmony, who are admitted at so much per head. 
 Now, although these things may pass muster in these days of chari- 
 table balls and steam excursions, Methodist centenaries. Christian 
 societies, York festivals, and the like, yet how do they accord with 
 ancient Catholic practices ? and what an awful state of degeneracy 
 do they attest among those who ought to be far in advance of all 
 others in acting upon sound principle, and avoid even the semblance 
 of modern expediency. . . . Indeed, such is the total absence of 
 solemnity in a great portion of modern Catholic buildings in Eng- 
 land, that I do not hesitate to say, that a few crumbling walls and 
 prostrate arches of a religious edifice raised during the days of faith, 
 will convey a far stronger religious impression to the mind than 
 the actual service of half the chapels in England. 
 
 Taking, therefore, these facts into consideration, as Avell as the 
 prevailing rage for paganism during the last three centuries on the 
 Continent, I do not think the architecture of our English churches 
 would have fared much better under a Catholic hierarchy ; for, inde- 
 pendent of the almost certain destruction of every screen in England, 
 we might have had the lantern of Ely terminated by a miniature 
 dome, and a Doric portico to front the nave of York. 
 
 But let no one imagine for a moment that the preservation of the 
 choir screens and other ancient arrangements, was owing to any love 
 or veneration for antiquity * on the part of the Protestant clergy. 
 The difference between them and their Catholic cotemporaries, is 
 
 * The Protestant system of turning the cathedral choirs into pewed enclosures, has un- 
 doubtedly saved the rood screens at the entrance, and which have almost disappeared in the 
 Continental churches, during the rage for innovation which prevailed during the last three 
 centuries : and had not this miserable expedient of filling up the deserted stalls of the ecclesi- 
 astics been adopted, instead of the congregation being kept in their original place — the nave, 
 it is most probable that the venerable images of saints and kings that still adorn the canopied 
 and fretted screens of York and Canterbury, would long ere this have been demolished, to 
 throw the vieio of the church open, — the reason assigned for the removal of screens by those 
 modern churchmen who have destroyed this mystical separation between the people and the 
 sacrifice that had existed for ages. The learned Father Thiers has written a most admirable 
 dissertation on the use and antiquity of these screens, in which he appropriately designates the 
 modern innovators as Ambonoclasts, and sets forth in most powerful language and argument, 
 the heinous offence of departing from the appi-oved traditions of the Church in these matters. 
 
 I 
 
58 
 
 REFLECTIONS ON THE PROBABLE STATE 
 
 precisely this : they left many of the original features standing through 
 indifference ; the latter removed them through a false idea of im- 
 provement. When Protestantism did anything of itself, it was ten 
 times worse than their extravagances, since it embodied the same 
 wretched pagan ideas, without either the scale or richness of the 
 foreign architecture of the same period. Queen's College, Oxford ; 
 the new quadrangle of Christ's Church ; Radcliffe Library ; St. Paul's 
 Cathedral, London, and many other buildings of the same class, are 
 utter departures from Catholic architecture, and meagre imitations of 
 Italian paganism. It is most fortunate for English architecture, that 
 during the greatest rage for classic art, the desire for church building 
 was nearly extinct, in consequence of Protestant ascendancy. Hence 
 many of our finest monuments remained comparatively safe in their 
 neglect, while all the furor for the new style was diverted into man- 
 sions, palaces, and erections for luxury and temporal splendour. 
 
 And now I cannot dismiss this subject without a few remarks on 
 those who seem to think, that, by restoring the details and accessories 
 of pointed architecture, they are reviving Catholic art. Not at all. 
 Unless the ancient arrangement be restored, and the true principles carried 
 out, all mouldings, pinnacles, tracery, and details, be they ever so well 
 executed, are a mere disguise. It is a great profanation to deck out 
 Protestant monstrosities in the garb of Catholic antiquity ; pew and 
 gallery fronts with tracer}^ panels ; reading-desks with canopied tops, 
 and carved communion-tables ; for however elaborate the ornaments 
 — however costly the execution, and however correct the details may 
 be in the abstract, unless a church be built on the ancient traditional 
 form, it must appear a miserable failure. A follower of John Knox 
 himself, as in the Scotch conventicle in London, may build a meeting- 
 house with pointed windows, arches, and tolerably good detail, but 
 these will always look like the scattered leaves of a precious volume 
 that have been bound up by an unskilful hand, without connexion 
 or relation to their meaning. 
 
 To apply these venerable forms to any but their real intention, is 
 a perfect prostitution of this glorious style ; a Catholic church not 
 
or THE ENGLISH CHURCHES, ETC. 
 
 59 
 
 only requires pillars, arches, windows, screens, and niches, but it 
 requires them to he disposed according to a certain traditional form ; it 
 demands a chancel set apart for sacrifice, and screened off from the 
 people ; it requires a stone altar, a sacrarium sedilia for the offici- 
 ating priests, and an elevated roodloft from whence the Holy Gospel 
 may be chaunted to the assembled faithful ; it requires chapels for 
 penance and prayer, a sacristy to contain the sacred vessels, a font 
 for the holy sacrament of baptism, a southern porch for penitents 
 and catechumens, a stoup for hallowed water, and a tower for bells ; 
 — and unless a building destined for a church possess all these 
 requisites, however correctly its details may be copied from ancient 
 authorities, it is a mere modern conventicle, and cannot by any 
 means be accounted a revival of Catholic art. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 A. 
 
 They (the visitors) represented their offences in such multiplying glasses, as made them seem 
 both greater in number, and more horrid in nature, than indeed they were. — Heylin, p. 262. 
 
 The commissioners threatened the canons of Leicester that they would charge them with 
 adultery and unnatural crimes, unless they would consent to give up their house. — See Hid. 
 Collect, from 36 to 52. 
 
 Burnet owns that there were great complaints made of the violences and briberies of the 
 \'isitors, and perhaps, says he, not without reason. — Ahrid. p. 182. 
 
 The infamous Dr. London was appointed visitor to Godstowe Nunnery, of whose vile 
 practices there, the abbess, Catherine Bukley, complains most feelingly, in a letter addressed 
 to the king, which may be seen at length in Steven's Continuation to Dugdale, p. 537. This 
 same Dr. London was so abominable a character, that he was afterwards convicted of perjury, 
 and adjudged to ride with his face to the horse's tail at Windsor and Oakingham, with papers 
 about his head. — Steven's Continuation to Monasticon Anglicanurn, p. 538. 
 
 The learned and pious Abbot Whiting of Glastonbury, was condemned in consequence of 
 a book against the king's divorce, which had been introduced without his knowledge, being- 
 found in the abbey. This book was brought in solely for the purpose of accomplishing the 
 ruin of this abbot, who firmly opposed the surrender of his abbey. 
 
 B. 
 
 In the month of November, Hugh Farringdon, Abbot of Reading, with two priests, named 
 Rug and Dngon, were hanged and quartered at Reading. The same day was Richard Whiting, 
 Abbot of Glastonbury, hanged and quartered on the Torre Hill, beside his monastery. John 
 Thorne and Roger James, monks, the one treasurer, the other under-treasurer, of Glastonbury 
 church, were at the same time executed ; and shortly after, John Beech, Abbot of Colchester, 
 was executed at Colchester — all for denying the king's supremacy. — Stow's Chronicle^ p. 576. 
 
 The 29th of April, John, Prior of the Charter-house, at London ; Augustine Webster, 
 Prior of Beuall ; Thomas Laurence, Prior of Escham ; Richard Reginalds, doctor, a monk of 
 Sion ; and John Hale, Vicar of Isleworth ; were all condemned of treason, for the supremacy, 
 and were drawn, hanged, and quai'tered at Tyburn, the 4th day of May 1538, their heads and 
 quarters set on the gates of the city, all save one quarter, which was set on the Charter-house, 
 London. — Stow. 
 
 The 18th of June, three monks of the Charter-house at London, named Thomas Exmew, 
 Humfrey Middlemore, and Sebastian Nidigate, were drawn to Tybiu-n, and there hanged and 
 quartered for denying the king's supremacy. — Ibid, 
 
64 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The 22d of June, Doctor John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, for denying the king's 
 supremacy, was beheaded on the Tower Hill ; his head was set on London Bridge, and his 
 body buried ^vithin Barking church-yard. — Stow. 
 
 The .6th of July, Sir Thomas INIore \\as beheaded on the Tower Hill for the like denial of 
 the king's supremacy ; and then the body of Dr. Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, was taken up, 
 and buried with Sir Thomas More, both in the Tower. 
 
 The 10th of April, Sir William Peterson, priest, late Commissary of Calais; and Sir 
 William Richardson, priest of St. ^larie's, in Calais, were both there hanged, drawn, and 
 quartered, in the market-place, for the supremacy. — Ibid. 
 
 These are only a few of the many persons this monster of cruelty executed for denying his 
 supremacy. Indeed, it ^\•as the means he ridded himself of all churchmen, whose firmness and 
 constancy Mere a barrier to his innovations. 
 
 C. 
 
 Within this clochier of St. Paul's M ere four very great bells, called Jesus Bells, in regard 
 they specially belonged to Jesus Chapel, situate at the east end of the undercroft of St. Paul's; 
 as also, on the top of the spire, the image of St. Paul : all standing, till Sir Miles Partridge, 
 knight, temp. Henry VIII, having M on them of the king at one cast of the dice, pulled them 
 doAvn. Which Sir oVIiles afterwards, temjj. Edward VI, suffered death on ToMer Hill, for 
 matters relating to the Duke of Somerset. — Dugdale's St. PauTs Cathedral, p. 128. 
 
 D. 
 
 Goodwin, speaking of a chapel which Stillington, Bishop of Wells, had built adjoining 
 the east side of the cloister there, and in which he was buried, says: — 
 
 "His body rested but a short time; for it is reported that diverse olde men, who in their 
 youth had not only seene the celebration of his funeral, but also the building of his tombe, 
 chapell and all, did also see tombe and chapell destroyed, and the bones of the bishop that 
 built them turned out of the lead in which they were interred." This chapel was destroyed bv 
 Sir John Gates, in the time of Edward VI. 
 
 E. 
 
 The following are among the executions on the score of religion in Henry's reign : — 
 Twenty-second of July, 1534, John Frith, for denying the real presence in the sacrament, 
 
 the first executed in England for this cause. November, 1538, Mas John Lambert burnt in 
 
 Smithfield for the same opinion. 
 
 And StoM- mentioned sixteen different persons burnt for heresy; that is, holding the 
 
 present Protestant opinions. Fuller, Heylin, and other historians, shoM- that Cranmer sat in 
 
 judgment, and signed the condemnation of many of these, for the \evy opinions he held 
 
 himself privately. 
 
 F. 
 
 In 1540, the king summoned a parliament, to be holden at Westminster the 28th of April; 
 also a synod of prelates, in M'hich six articles M-ere concluded, touching matters of religion, 
 commonly called "the M'hip with six strings." 
 
 Article 1, confirmed the real presence in the sacrament. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 65 
 
 Article 2, against coninmnion in both kinds. 
 
 Article 3, that priests might not marry after the order of priesthood received. 
 
 Article 4, that vows of chastity, made after twenty-one years of age, should be binding. 
 
 Article 5, the establishing of private masses. 
 
 Article 6, auricular confession to be expedient. 
 The punishment for the breach of the first article was burning without any abjuration, with 
 loss of all goods and lands, as in case of treason ; the default against the other five articles 
 was felony, without benefit of clergy. — Fox's Martyrs, edit. 1589. 
 
 It will be seen from these articles what little differences of doctrine caused Henry's separa- 
 tion from the Catholic church, and proves that he was moved to that step from temporal 
 motives only. 
 
 It is, also, worthy of remark, that the leading apostle of the Reformation, Archbishop 
 Cranmer, subscribed to these articles, and proceeded on them by condemning others, when, in 
 fact, he secretly violated every one of them himself. 
 
 G. 
 
 In order to show how soon the private interpretation of the Holy Scriptures was found to 
 produce baneful results, I have transcribed a portion of Heni'yls speech to his parliament, 
 made in 1545, which gives a true and lively picture of the state of religious discord that had 
 already risen, and the rapid demoralisation that attended the departure from the ancient 
 system. 
 
 " I see here daily you of the cleargie preach one against another, teach one contrary to 
 another, inveigh one against the other, without charity or discretion ; thus all men be in 
 variety and discord, and few or none preacheth tmly and sincerely the word of God. Alas ! 
 how can poor souls live in concord, when you preachers sow amongst them in your sermons 
 debate and discord ? if to you they look for light, and you bring them to darkness ? 
 
 " Although I say the spiritual men be in fault, yet you of the temporality be not clear 
 and unspotted of malice and envy, for you rail on bishops, speak slanderously of priests, and 
 rebuke and taunt preachers : and, although you be permitted to read Holy Scriptures, and to 
 have the word of God in your mother-tongue, you must understand it is licensed you so to do 
 only to inform your own consciences, and to instruct your children and families, and not to 
 dispute and make a railing and taunting stock of Scripture against priests and preachers, as 
 many light persons do. I am very sorrow to know and hear how irreverently the most precious 
 jewel, the word of God, is disputed, ruined, sung, and tangled, in every alehouse and tavern, 
 contrary to the true meaning of the same. I am even as much sorry that the readers of the 
 same follow it, in doing, so faintly and coldly ; for of this I am sure, charity was never so faint 
 among you, vertuous and godly living was never less ttsed, nor God himself amongst Christians 
 never less reverenced, honored, or served.'''' — Holixshed's Chronicle, vol. ii. p. 972. 
 
 H. 
 
 Poynet, first Protestant Bishop of Winchester, passed away all the temporalities of his see 
 conditionally to his preferment to it, in return for which he was to receive certain rectories. — 
 Strype, Mem. Ecc. vol. iii. p. 272. 
 
 Ridley, within nine days after his promotion to the see of London, alienated four of its 
 best manors to the king, to gratify some of the courtiers. — Ibid. p. 234. 
 
 k 
 
66 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Barlow, at Wells, 20th May, 1548, consigned by license to the king a very considerable 
 portion of the demesnes and manors of his see. — Collixsox. 
 
 The following are notes relative to these barbarous demolitions : — 
 
 Neither the Bishops of Lichfield and Coventry, nor LlandafF, had any recompense for their 
 demolished palaces, according to Spelman ; but Hooper, who had been chaplain to the Pro- 
 tector, had a house granted him in Whitefriars. 
 
 In the year 1549, on the 10th of April, the chapel in Pardon churchyard, by command- 
 ment of the Duke of Somerset, was begun to be pulled down, with the whole cloystrie, the 
 dance of death, the tombs and monuments, so that nothing was left but the bare plot of 
 ground, which has since been converted into a garden for petty canons. — Stow's Survey, 
 p. 354. 
 
 In this chapel (standing on the north side of the churchyard) were buried Henry Barton, 
 lord mayor of London, a.d. 1417, and Thomas Mirfin, mayor also in 1419, who had fair tombs 
 therein, with their images in alabaster, strongly coped with iron ; all which, with the chapel, 
 were pulled down in a.d. 1549 (3 Edward VI), by the Duke of Somerset's appointment, and 
 made use of for his building at Somerset House in the Strand : the bones, which lay in the 
 vault underneath, amounting to more than a thousand cart-loads, being conveyed into Finnes- 
 bury Fields, and there laid on a moorish place, with so much soil to cover them as did raise 
 the ground for three windmills to stand on, which have since been built there. — Dugdale's 
 Hist. St. PauTs, p. 130. 
 
 J. 
 
 In this month of April, and in May, commissioners were directed through England for 
 all the church goods remaining in cathedral and parish churches — that is to say, jewels of 
 gold and silver, silver crosses, candlesticks, censers, chalices, and such like, with their ready 
 money, to be delivered to the master of the king's jewels in the Tower of London ; all coapes 
 and vestments of cloth of gold, cloth of tissue, and silver, to the master of the king's wardrobe 
 in London ; the other coapes, vestments, and ornaments, to be sold, and the money to be 
 delivered to Sir Edward Peckham, knight : reserving church one chalice or cup, with table 
 cloathes for the communion board, at the discretion of the commissioners, which were, for 
 London, the lord mayor, the bishop, the lord chief justice, and other. — Stow's Chronicle, 
 p. 609. 
 
 K. 
 
 Harrington thus relates the ravages and spoliations at Wells : — Scarce were five years past 
 after Bath's rains, but as fast went the axes and hammers to work at Wells. The goodly hall, 
 covered with lead (because the roofe might seeme too low for so large a roome), was uncovered ; 
 and now this roofe reaches to the sky. The chapell of our lady, late repaired by Stillington, a 
 place of great reverence and antiquitie, was likewise defaced ; and such \\as their thirst after 
 lead (I would they had drank it scalding), that they took the dead bodies of bishops out of their 
 h'aden cojfins, and cast abroad the carcases scarce thoroitghljj putrijied. The statues of brass, 
 and all the ancient monuments of kings, benefactors to that goodly cathedral church, went all 
 the same way, sold to an alderman of London. 
 
 Furthermore, says Stow (speaking of St. Leonard's, Shoreditch), one vicar there (of late 
 time), for covetousness of the brasse, which hee converted into coyned silver, plucked up many 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 67 
 
 plates fixed on the graves, and left no memory of such as had been buried under them — a 
 great injury both to the living and the dead, forbidden by public proclamation in the reigne of 
 our soveraigne lady Queen Elizabeth, b^lt not forhorne by many, that, either of a preposterous 
 zeale, or of a greedie minde, spare not to satisfie themselves by so wicked a meanes.- — Stow's 
 Survey, p. 475. 
 
 L. 
 
 In order to do away, as much as possible, with the idea of an altar, the communion tables 
 were placed away from the walls ; and when the high church party, under Charles I, attempted 
 to place them again altarwise, as they are set at present, the zeal and opposition of the low 
 church party gave rise to many disgraceful scenes and foolish pamphlets. A book called 
 " The Holy Table, Name, and Thing," tells us that, when the vicar of Grantham fell upon 
 removing the communion table from the upper part of the choir to the altar-place, as he called 
 it, Mr. ^Tieatly, the Alderman, questioning him thereupon, what authority he had from the 
 bishop, received this answer : that his authority was this — he had done it, and he would 
 justify it. Mr. Wheatly commanded his officers to remove the place again, which they did 
 accordingly, but not without striking, much heat, and indiscretion, both of the one side and 
 the other. The vicar said, he cared not what they did with their old tressel, for he would 
 make him an altar of stone at his own charge, and fix it in the old altar-place, and would 
 never officiate at any other ; the people replying, that he should set up no dresser of stone in 
 their church. 
 
 A letter was addressed to the vicar of Grantham about setting his table altarwise. 
 
 In answer to the letter comes out a book, entitled " A Coal from the Altar,'" which was 
 answered again by the " Quench Coal." And this knotty point, where the table should stand, 
 engaged a host of writers of the time. 
 
 M. 
 
 There is no period of English history which has been more disguised than the reign of 
 that female demon, Elizabeth ; for while her unfortunate sister has been stigmatised as bloody 
 Mary, and ever held up to odium as an intolerant persecuting bigot, Elizabeth has been 
 loaded with encomiums, of which she is quite undeserving. The parliament during her reign 
 enacted most sanguinary laws equally directed against persons who professed the ancient 
 religion, or those who carried Protestant principles further than the new churchmen thought 
 advisable for the safety of their establishment. 
 
 During twenty years of her reign, a great number of persons were executed solely on the 
 score of professing the Catholic faith. Of these, many were in holy orders ; three gentle- 
 women ; and the remainder, esquires, gentlemen, and yeomen. Besides several priests, and 
 Catholic lay persons who died in prison, and great numbers who were sent into perpetual 
 banishment ; to say nothing of many more who were whipped, fined (the fine for recusancy 
 was 9,01. per month), or stripped of their property, to the utter ruin of their families.* 
 
 In one night, fifty Catholic gentlemen, in the county of Lancaster, M^ere suddenly seized 
 and committed to prison, on account of their non-attendance at church. At the sajne time, 
 an equal number of Yorkshire gentlemen were lying prisoners in York castle, on the same 
 account, most of whom perished there. These were every week dragged by main force to hear 
 the established service performed in the castle chapel. — Dr. Milner's Letters to a Prebendary. 
 
 * For a full account of these cruel proceedings, see the third volume of Dodd's Church History, edited by the 
 Rev. M. A. Tierney. 
 
68 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 The torturing then in practice, Camden, in his Annals, confirms ; who, speaking of the 
 famous Father Campian, says, he was not so racked but that he was still able to write his 
 name. 
 
 It appears from the account of one of these sufferers, that the following tortures were in 
 use against the Catholics in the Tower : — 1. The common rack, by which the limbs were 
 stretched by levers ; 2. The Scavenger's daughter, so called, being a hoop in which the body 
 was bent till the head and feet met together ; 3. The chamber Little-ease, being a hole so 
 small, that a person could neither stand, sit, nor lie straight in it ; 4. The iron gauntlet. — 
 Diar. Rar. Gest. in Turr. Lond. 
 
 With what cruelty Catholics were racked, we may gather from the following passage in a 
 letter from John Nicols to Cardinal Allen, by way of extenuating the guilt of his apostasy 
 and perfidy in accusing his Catholic brethren : — " Non bona res est corpus, isto ciniciatu, 
 longius fieri per duos fere pedes quam natura concessit." 
 
 The continual harassing the Catholics suffered is amply shown by the following extract : — 
 
 The 4th of April, being Palm Sunday, there was taken, saying of masse in the Lord 
 Morleie's house, within Aldgate of London, one Albon Dolman, priest ; and the Lady Morley, 
 with her childi-en, and divers others, were also taken for hearing the said masse. There was 
 also taken, the same day and houer, for saying masse at the Lady Gilford's in Trinitie Lane, 
 one Oliver Heywood, priest ; and, for hearing the said masse, the Lady Gilford, with diverse 
 other gentlewomen. There was also taken, at the same instant, in the Lady Browne's house, 
 in Cow Lane, for saying masse, one Thomas Heiwood, priest, and one John Couper, priest, 
 with the Lady Browne ; and diverse others were likewise taken for hearing of the said masse. 
 All which persons were for the said offences indicted, convicted, and had the law according to 
 the statute in that case provided. There were also found in their several chappels diverse 
 Latine books, beades, images, palms, chalices, crosses, vestments, pixes, paxes, and such like. — 
 Stow's Chronicle, p. 1158. 
 
 Death by burning, on the score of religion, was likewise practised : — 
 
 The 22d July, 1576, two Dutchmen, anabaptists, were burnt in Smithfield, who died in 
 great horror with roaring and crying. — Stow's Chronicle, p. 1162. 
 
 Mathew Hamont of Hetharset, by his trade a ploughwright, three miles from Norwich, 
 was convened before the Bishop of Norwich, for that he denied Christ to be our Saviour, and 
 other heresies. 
 
 For which he was condemned in the consistory, and sentence was read against him by the 
 Bishop of Norwich, the 14th of April, 1578, and thereupon delivered to the sheriffs of 
 Norwich ; and because he spake words of blasphemie against the queen's majesty, and others 
 of her counsel!, he was, by the recorder. Master Sergeant Wyndham, and the major. Sir Robert 
 Wood, condemned to lose both his eares, which were cut off", the 13th of May, in the market- 
 place of Norwich ; and afterwards, the 20th of May, he was burnt in the castle-ditch. — Stow's 
 Chronicle, p. 1174. 
 
 Many more instances could be cited ; but, I trust, sufficient has been shown to prove that 
 the system on which the present establishment was founded and carried on was the very acme 
 of religious intolerance and persecution ; and it is only very lately that Catholics have been 
 relieved from degrading restrictions, which they continued to suffer after the more violent per- 
 secutions had ceased. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 69 
 
 N. 
 
 The Earl of Leicester (favourite of Elizabeth) was at the head of those who said that no 
 bishops ought to be tolerated in a Christian land, and that he had cast a covetous eye on 
 Lambeth Palace. — Heylin's Hist, of Eliz. p. 168. 
 
 O. 
 
 The magnificent chapter-house of Ely is now used as Trinity church, in consequence of the 
 chapter assigning it to the parishioners, to save the expense of repairing the parish church, 
 which they were bound to do ; and the lamentable havoc that has been made in this once 
 beautiful structure by the modern pewing, communion-screen, &c., and the fixing of some 
 wretched monumental tablets, nmst be seen to be properly conceived. Owing to the same 
 cause, three other cathedrals have been mutilated in a similar manner. 
 
 At Norwich cathedral, the ancient chapel of St. Luke, and the south aisle of the choir 
 and apsis, have been inclosed and blocked up with pews, to serve as a parish church for St. 
 Ethelbert's. 
 
 At Hereford, the north transept is inclosed and filled with pews, &c., to serve as a parochial 
 church for the parishioners of St. John the Baptist. 
 
 At Chester, the south transept has been walled off, and serves for the parish church of St. 
 Oswald's. 
 
 P. 
 
 Formerly, not only the residences of ecclesiastics, but the houses of the laity, were all 
 provided with a private chapel, suitable to the size of the dwelling ; but, alas ! how is this 
 feeling now changed In vain do we look, in modern mansions, for a chamber devoted to 
 religious worship ; and in those ancient dwellings, where the piety of our ancestors had 
 directed chapels, in how few instances do we find them still employed for their pi'imitive desti- 
 nation ! how often do we find they have been levelled to the ground as useless portions of the 
 building ; or, if not so, desecrated to the meanest purposes ! * Rarely, among the canonries, 
 or ecclesiastical residences attached to cathedrals, can we find one that has been retained to 
 its original use ; and how can we imagine religion to dwell with those who will not devote one 
 small niche of their dwellings to her ? 
 
 Domestic chapels and chaplains are alike falling into absolute disuse ; they will soon be 
 spoken of as things that used to be — as the remains of old superstition, and the relics of 
 popery — the excuse made, whenever any of the ancient practices and regulations which had 
 been preserved, are discontinued. 
 
 Q. 
 
 The excesses committed by the Huguenots and Calvinists in France, during the year 1562, 
 are of so horrible and extensive a nature, that to give anything like a narration of them 
 would exceed the compass of a volume ; but I have here subj oined a few notes, to prove to 
 those who may be unacquainted with the subject, the truth of my assertion. 
 
 During the above-mentioned period, the whole of the rich ornaments belonging to the 
 cathedral at Rouen were pillaged and melted, of which the high altar alone contained six 
 hundred and eighty-two marks of silver, besides jewels, and twenty-seven marks of pure gold, 
 * The ancient chapel of the Bishop of Ely's palace, at Ely, was used as a beer-cellar in 1834. 
 
70 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 all wrought into the most beautiful forms. Not only did these sacrilegious wretches plunder 
 all that was valuable, but with fanatic fury tliey consumed all the holy relics contained in the 
 shrines, and treated the remains of St. Romain with the most barbarous indignity. 
 
 The cathedral was filled \\ith stores of annnunition, and the Divine service totally sus- 
 pended. — DoM. PoJi. Hist. Cath. Rouen. 
 
 At tlie same time the magnificent Abbey of St. Ouen, in the same city, was ravaged 
 completely : not only were all the precious ornaments and vestments pillaged, but the 
 fury of these miserable heretics was vented on the finest efforts of art the church contained. 
 The rood-loft, uniivalled as a specimen of elaborate and wonderful masonry, was totally 
 demolished ; the stalls burnt ; all the brass work of the choir, which was of the finest descrip- 
 tion, torn down and melted ; and even the tomb of the learned and munificent Abbe Marc 
 d'Argent (founder and designer of this glorious church) fell a prey to their savage fury, and 
 was totally destroyed. — Histoire de rEgl'isc de Saint Ouen, par M. Gilbeht. Paris, 1822. 
 
 July the 1st, a large party of Calvinists quitted Rouen for a predatory excursion, and, 
 having burnt and pillaged several churches in the vicinity of Barentin, they re-entered Rouen 
 in a sort of tumultuous triumph, some wearing chasubles, others copes, bearing the crosses 
 mockery, and tossing the chalices and thuribles in their hands by way of derision ; some crying 
 "Death to the mass;" others, "Here's a death-blow to the Papists," and similar outrageous 
 expressions. — Dom. Pojiehaye, Hist. Cath. Rouen. Rouen, 1686, p. 126. 
 
 A manuscript chronicle of the Abbey of Jumieges relates, that two of the monks, going 
 to Evreux to meet their abbot, Gabriel le Veneur, fell into the hands of a similar party ; when 
 they twisted whipcord round their foreheads so tightly, to make them reveal the place where 
 the treasures of their abbey were concealed, that, their eyes starting from their sockets, oije 
 died from excess of agony immediately, and the other. Father Caumont, remained a miserable 
 object till his death. — Doji. Pom. Hist. Cath. Rouen, p. 162. 
 
 The 10th of May, 1652, being Sunday, the Protestants of Bayeux and its vicinity entered 
 the cathedral church armed ; and having instantly caused the cessation of high mass, then 
 celebrating, they broke down the altars and images, and commenced pillaging the sacred 
 vessels and ornaments. Those Catholic citizens and ecclesiastics who endeavoured to repress 
 this outrage were immediately sacrificed, being either pistolled on the spot, or dragged to the 
 walls, from which, after having their throats cut, they were immediately precipitated. The 
 bishop, Charles de Humieres, and Germain Duval, the dean, only escaped the massacre by 
 gaining the haven, from whence they put to sea in a small fishing-boat that happened to be 
 lying there. — Bezier's Histoire de la Ville de Bayeux, p. 24. 
 
 The procl'S verbal, presented to the king by the bishop and clergy of Bayeux, on the re- 
 establishment of the ecclesiastics in 1563, gives a detailed account of all the destructions and 
 robberies connnitted on the cathedral, while in the possession of tliese fanatics. It is too 
 long for insertion here, but the following facts may be gathered from it: — That every precious 
 ornament whatever, as well as vestments of all descriptions, had been pillaged and destroyed; 
 that a great portion of the stained windows were dashed out. The stalls, bishop's throne, 
 chapel-screens, organ-case, and every description of wood carving, had been broken up and 
 carried away. The charters, all archi\'es belonging to the cathedral, had been burned, as well 
 as the library. That the bodies of the ancient ecclesiastics, including the Patriarch de 
 Harcour, had been disinterred, the bodies left exposed, and their coffins melted down. That 
 all the brass work, consisting of effigies on tombs, an immense crown of admirable workman- 
 ship that hung in the choir, and other curious ornaments, had likewise been melted. That all 
 the scaffolding, cords, pulleys, and materials, that were employed about the repair of the 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 71 
 
 edifice, had been sold and removed. The ten great bells had been broken and melted, as well 
 as the oi'gan pipes, and four thousand weight of lead from the roof, which had been cast into 
 ammunition. Besides a great variety of other demolitions and acts of cruelty, practised on the 
 ecclesiastics in the city, the whole of which are given at length in Bezier's Histoire de la Ville 
 de Bayeux, beginning at page 3 of the Appendix. 
 
 From these historical accounts of only a few of the very extensive outrages committed by 
 the Protestants in France, I leave the candid and impartial reader to judge if I have gone too 
 far in my assertion. 
 
 R 
 
 To prove the truth of the great similarity of the various classes of Protestants in their out- 
 rages, I wish to refer the reader to the description of the demolitions at Wells, described in 
 this Appendix under the letter K. I have also subjoined some extracts from an account of 
 the excesses committed by the Puritans, during the civil wars, at Peterborough cathedral. 
 
 " Espying that rare work of stone over the altar, admired by all travellers, they made all of 
 it rubbish, breaking up, also, the rayles, of which they compiled bonfires ; tumbling the 
 communion table over and over. They were, also, so offended with the memorials of the dead, 
 that not one monument in the church remained undefaced. When their unhallowed toylings 
 had made them out of wind, they took breath afresh on two pair of organs, piping with the 
 same about the market-place lascivious jigs, whilst their conn-ades danced after them in 
 surplices. The clappers of the bells they sold, with the brass they had slaied from the grave- 
 stones ; nor was any window suffered to remain unshattered, or remarkable place unruined." 
 
 It is well worthy of remark, that the outrage at Wells was conducted by the advocates of the 
 new opinions, in the time of Edward VI, and that this attack on Peterborough was carried on 
 by the Puritans, another class of Protestants, one century after ; so that those, who had been 
 the abettors of schism, suffered by the very principles they had introduced : for these fanatics 
 seem to have held the surplices of the establishment in as much abhorrence and derision as the 
 others had formerly the vestments of the ancient church which they had plundered and 
 destroyed. 
 
 The fact is, the present establishment, in its episcopacy and ancient form of church go^'ernment, 
 has too much of the old system about it to suit the levelling and destructive feelings produced 
 by real Protestantism. At the time of the Commonwealth the establishment was overthi'own, 
 and is at present in a most insecure state, not from the combinations and cabals of Catholics, 
 but from the extending principles of contempt for ecclesiastical authority, and the all-sufficient 
 private judgment in matters of religion, which are inseparable from Protestant opinions. 
 
 The history of this country, since the change of religion, ought to convince the churchmen 
 of this country of the utter impossibility of preserving a national church or unity of creed 
 without Catholic communion. The daily extending sects of dissenters are ample evidences of 
 this fact ; all of which have been produced by the same principles as those which founded the 
 establishment itself : but, either from inherent hatred against the ancient religion, or from 
 infatuation and blindness, many modern clergymen continually preach against the Catholics 
 of this country as unheeding the mass of zealous Protestant dissenters, who openly clamour 
 against them, and the undermining effects of nine-tenths of their own brethren, who not onlv 
 disbelieve, but openly condemn, various portions of the articles, creeds, and discipline, as they 
 are at present by law established. For a confirmation of this assertion, see that admirable 
 Letter of Dr. Milner to Dr. Sturges, of Winchester, demonstrating the low church principles 
 to be entirely subversive of the original tenets of the Church of England. 
 
72 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 s. 
 
 Wherever Vandemerk and Sonoi, both Keu tenants to the Prince of Orange, carried their 
 arms, they invariably put to death, in cold blood, all the priests and religious they could lay 
 hands upon, as at Odenard, Rureniond, Dort, Middlebourg, Uelft, and Shonoven. — See 
 Hist. Ref. des Pays Bas, by the Protestant minister Dk Bkaxt. 
 
 Of the horrible barbarities practised by this Sonoi, a copious account is given in UAbrege 
 <Ie VHistohe de la Hollatide, par M. Kkxoux, a Protestant author, who draws a most frightful 
 picture of the barbarities practised on the Catholic peasants of the Low Countries. 
 
 The reformation in Scotland began by the murder of Cardinal Beaton, in which Knox was 
 a party; and to which Fox, in his "Acts and Monuments," says, the murderers were actuated 
 by the Spirit of God. 
 
 Numberless instances might be cited, to show the horrible excesses connnitted by these 
 pretended reformers in the furtherance of their principles. 
 
 T. 
 
 Such Avas the detestation, only a few years since, to the bare representation of the cross 
 (a symbol that has been used by Christians from the earliest periods), that, when the small 
 Catholic chapel was erected at Lincoln, a plain cross having been formed in the gable by the 
 omission of some bricks, the then mayor sent a message to the priest, desiring the same to be 
 immediately defaced. To which mandate the worthy pastor replied, that he should by no 
 means do so till the crosses on the cathedral, and other churches, were removed ; and owing to 
 this spirited answer the cross was suffered to remain. 
 
 U. 
 
 To what miserable resoui'ces are not the designers of ecclesiastical decoration driven in 
 the present day, when all those exquisite symbols and powerful representations of the sacra- 
 ments and ceremonies of the Christian church, which formed an inexhaustible source for every 
 class of artists, have been expelled and prohibited, as savouring of superstition — a name applied 
 by modern churchmen to every religious truth that surpasses their own narrow comprehension, 
 and every sacred rite which they find too irksome or expensive. 
 
 But, will it be believed, these pretended suppressors of superstition, these revilers of those 
 sacred badges which had distinguished religious \\ orship from the earliest period, fly to pagan 
 rites and heathen worship for emblems to replace those they had so barbarously rejected ! 
 Yes ; the sacrifice of rams and heifers is sculptui-ed, in lieu of that of the divine Redeemer 
 sacrificed for the whole world ; the images of the pagan priestesses have replaced those of 
 the saints and martyrs, whose zeal and constancy laid the foundation of the great fabric of 
 the Christian Church : and, indeed, so infatuated have been the builders of modern preaching- 
 houses in this new system, that, from the winged Osiris of the Egyptians to the votive wreaths 
 dedicated to the god Mars, they have adopted all descriptions of ornaments relating to pagan 
 rites, which they have introduced without the slightest consideration of their utter impropriety 
 in the places of worship of any class of Christians. Yet, such is the blind prejudice of the 
 mass of j)ersons in this country, that, while such gross violations of propriety are daily taking- 
 place without comment, were any one to be found bold enough to erect an image of the crucifietl 
 Redeemer within the walls of one of these edifices, an outcry would be immediately raised that 
 popish idolatry was about to be revived ; nor would the zealots cease till the object of offence 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 73 
 
 was removed ; and should no appropriate Greek or Roman figure be found to supply its place, 
 a neat king's arms, with some appropriate text, would be thought admirably suitable to fill the 
 vacant space. 
 
 Not only has this mania of employing heathen emblems filled the churches with incongrui- 
 ties, but they are universally employed about the sepulchral monuments of persons professing 
 to be Christians, and of which many have been erected at the expense of a nominally Christian 
 country. 
 
 Let any candid person survey the monuments erected, during the last and present century, 
 in those great edifices, St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey, and then pronounce, whether there 
 is one sign or symbol by which he could have supposed that the persons, to whom they are 
 erected, professed the Christian faith. Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Minerva, Apollo, and a host 
 of heathen divinities, are sculptured either receiving the soul of the departed, or assisting him 
 in the achievement of his exploits ; and, when he regards the costume of the deceased, he is 
 equally at a loss to distinguish the rank, profession, or the age in which he lived. Statesmen, 
 warriors, and even ecclesiastics, have been alike enveloped in the Roman toga ; and thus made 
 to appear, both by costume and attributes, pagans of two thousand years ago. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 EXTRACT FROM DODD's CHURCH HISTORY, BY THE REV. M. A. TIERNEY, VOL. II. PAGES 141-3. 
 
 It is not to be doubted, but that the Reformation, set on foot by Queen Elizabeth, was 
 contrary to the inclinations of all the governing part of the clergy, or at least of a great 
 majority ; and that they protested against it. The bishops were all deprived, and imprisoned, 
 on that account. The convocation met, as the reader has seen, and subscribed to a profession 
 of faith, directly contrary to the reformed doctrine. Great numbers of the most eminent 
 clergymen went abroad ; and there was scarce any university, either in Flanders, France, or 
 Italy, but one or more might be found in them, besides others, that were entertained as 
 professors of divinity in foreign monasteries. A great many, indeed, still remained in England, 
 and conformed for awhile, in hopes that the queen would relent, and things come about again. 
 But their hopes vanishing, they forsook their benefices, and followed their countrymen over 
 seas. There was not a province through all England, where several of Queen Mary's clergy 
 did not reside, and were commonly called the old priests. They served as chaplains in private 
 families. Their names and places of residence I have frequently met with in the manuscripts 
 I perused in composing this work. Again, several Catholic clergymen found such friends, as 
 to be permitted to enjoy sinecures, without being disturbed by oaths and other injunctions. 
 
 This non-compliance of so many of the clergy left the reformers unprovided with teachers, 
 and persons proper for that function ; in so much that Collier says, " that, upon the Catholic 
 clergy throwing up their preferment, the necessities of the Church required the admitting of 
 some mechanics into orders."* The strength of the party that opposed the Reformation 
 appears still more from the account which the Protestant writers give of the desertion that 
 happened in our universities, and scarcity of persons sufficiently qualified to instruct the 
 
 * [Collier, ii. 465. See also Strype, Annal. i. 178, 179. Among other schemes adopted in consequence of this 
 defection, it was proposed, in some instances, to unite several churches, and thus to carry on the duties of religion 
 with a smaller number of clergy. See a letter on this subject, from the bishop of Winchester to Cecil, in the 
 Appendix, No. XLY.—T.] 
 
 I 
 
74 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 people." " It must be known," saith Anthony Wood, " that, in the beginning of the reign of 
 Queen Elizabeth, the University of Oxford was so empty, after the Catholics had left it, upon 
 the alteration of religion, that there was very seldom a sermon preached in the university 
 church called St. Mary." And, in another place, he adds, " there was not one then [an. 1564] 
 in that society [of Merton College], that could, or would, preach any public sermon in the 
 college turn ; such was the scarcity of theologi.sts, not only in that house, but generally 
 throughout the university." * The same Oxford historian also gives us several particulars of 
 this grand defection. He names twenty-two persons of note, ejected out of New College only ; 
 seven out of St. John's College ; and great numbers out of the colleges of St. Mary Magdalen, 
 Lincoln, and Trinity ; so that the university seemed to be entirely destroyed. He tells us, 
 moreover, that the persons left were few, and so illiterate, that an order came out for every 
 one to con over the Bible, and lessons, being unable to read them distinctly otherwise : that a 
 like order came out for liberty to make use of the Common-prayer in the Latin tongue, there 
 being some danger of losing that language in the university ; and that Thomas Sampson, and 
 Ur. Humphrey, and perhaps a third, named Andrew Kingsmill, were the only persons that 
 could preach with any reputation. Now these preachers being all Puritans, they filled the 
 university with Calvinistical notions.-f- This desolate condition of Oxford is, in like manner, 
 taken notice of by Jewel, Parker, and othei's. " Our universities," saith Jewel, " are in a 
 most lamentable condition ; * * * there are not above two in Oxford of our sentiments." J 
 Archbishop Parker tells the queen, " that there were not two men able or willing to read the 
 lady Margaret's lecture ; and, though they had a great many preachers, yet he was afraid 
 several of them were but slenderly furnished for that employment." It appears from these 
 accounts, that, whatever these might be as to the number in the whole, most of the clergy of 
 character, upon account either of morals or of learning, stood firm in the belief of the old 
 religion. 
 
 It may be readily imagined, that when the English churches were brought under the control 
 of the new order of clergy (for the most part illiterate Puritans, and devoid of all sympathy 
 for Catholic traditions and art), their ancient and appropriate arrangements were speedily 
 ■destroyed, and they were used more as preaching conventicles than as places consecrated to 
 prayer and sacrifice. From the very commencement of the great schism, the canons of the 
 establishment have been far more Catholic than her practice ; and, notwithstanding all that 
 has been advanced to the contrary, the present position of the Church of England is a Protes- 
 tant one. That many good Catholic-minded men, and witnesses of better things, have been 
 found in her communion, even at the very worst periods, no one can doubt ; but these have 
 ever formed a very small minority, and were, in fact, exceptions to the rule. The change of 
 religion in England was compassed by crafty and avaricious statesmen, aided by Puritans and 
 foreign heretics ; and no one can doubt this fact, who has attentively perased the works of 
 Dodd, Heylin, Strype, Collier, and other old English historians. It is both false and absurd 
 for certain modern writers to assert, that the present establishment has been a conservator of 
 
 * Wood, Athen. Oxon. i. 161, 429. 
 
 t Antiq. Oxon. 283, 284, 285. [He adds, that, after Sampson's departure, Humphrey was frequently absent, 
 that sermons of the most ridiculous kind were constantly delivered, and that, on one occasion, no preacher making 
 his appearance, Richard Taverner, the high sheriff of the county, decorated in the ensigns of his office, ascended 
 the pulpit of St. Mary's Church, and addressed his audience in a discourse, which thus commenced : " Arriving at 
 the mount of St. Mary's, in the stony stage (the pulpit was of stone), where I now stand, I have brought you 
 some biscuits, baked in the oven of charity, carefully conserved for the chickens of the church, the sparrows of the 
 spirit, and the sweet swallows of salvation." Ibid. — T.j 
 
 \ [Apud Collier, ii. 432. Jewel's letter, however, is dated May 22, 1559, some months before the deprivation or 
 removal of the Catholic members. — T.\ 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 75 
 
 Catholic architecture, because Hooker, Laud, and a few other great men of the same school, 
 protested against the destructions that were going on in every direction. There is not one 
 sacred edifice in the whole country that does not exhibit a lamentable series of innovations 
 and demolitions, commencing with the so-called Reformation, and continued at intervals to 
 the present time ; indeed, as I have previously remarked, we may ascribe the preservation of 
 the most interesting remains more to the feelings of apathy and neglect, than any veneration 
 for their beauty. None but party men can endeavour to set up such pi-etensions in the face 
 of existing facts ; all who are imbued with true Catholic feelings, must weep and deplore over 
 the fallen state of Christian art and ideas for the last few centuries, not only in England but 
 in Europe. 
 
 No. II. 
 
 The following glorious churches may be especially pointed out amongst a host of others, as 
 being in a most lamentable state of decay and neglect : — 
 
 1. The Cathedral Church of Durham. 
 
 2. The Cathedral Church of Ely. 
 
 3. The Cathedral Church of Carlisle. 
 
 In the Abbey Church of Westminster, although the fabric is being slowly and partially 
 restored, the unrivalled sepulchral monuments are in a most miserable state. 
 
 The Abbey Church of Tewkesbury, one of the most solemn churches in England, contain- 
 ing tombs and chapels of the highest interest, at present woefully desecrated. 
 
 The Collegiate Chui'ch of Selby, the choir of which is a wonderful example of the fine 
 period of the First Edward. In this wonderful building, the font with a magnificent canopy is 
 disused. The chapels of the ti-ansepts are filled with rubbish, and one even used as a coal-hole. 
 Two stove pipes of large diameter have been carried right through the eastern aisle windows, 
 and up to the top of the eastern turrets. The nave is rendered useless, and galleries have been 
 erected in the choir, and many fine foliage caps cut away to receive them. A description of 
 the many barbarous mutilations that this glorious church has suffered would fill a volume. 
 
 N.B. — The great tithes of this church are in the possession of a Catholic gentleman, who, 
 instead of contributing funds towards saving this noble example of ancient piety from ruin, 
 has actually affixed a most Protestant-looking tablet against one of the finely moulded pillars 
 of the chancel ! ! ! 
 
 In the parish church of Cromer, Norfolk, an edifice which could not be erected at the present 
 time for £ 100,000, the eastern end has been suffered to go to utter ruin, and side galleries are 
 now being erected in the nave. All the porches are in ruin. This description will apply to 
 nearly all the fine churches on the Norfolk coast, most of the chancels are in ruins, and 
 several of the transepts. These churches are for the most part noble edifices, ei'ected by 
 Catholic piety at an innnense cost. 
 
 The disgust which the lamentable state of these neglected piles causes in the mind of the 
 beholder is not a little increased by the plantations, carriage-drives, stabling, and villa-like 
 arrangements of the adjacent parsonage-houses. 
 
 The high church of Hull is a magnificent edifice of immense size : a preaching-place has 
 been constmcted by walling up Jour compartments of the nave, leaving the western end of nave, 
 choir, chancel, eastern aisle, chapels, and transept, utterly bare and unoccupied : galleries have 
 been erected with commodious staircases in the preaching-place. It is most amusing to hear 
 
76 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 of a vestry meeting being called to consider the means of getting increased accommodation in 
 a church of which only one-third is occupied. 
 
 It is impossible even to hint at half of the enormities which have been perpetrated, and are 
 still tolerated in many of our most glorious churches ; but an annual account of the proceedings 
 of the destructives would do right good service ; as shame might in some instances have the effect 
 of staying their sacrilegious hands. A great revival of Catholic feelings in respect to ecclesias- 
 tical architecture has already taken place, but no one must relax for a moment ; innovations to 
 an alarming extent, and I speak Jrom actual observation, are yet going on. 
 
 I cannot refrain from paying a just tribute of respect and gratitude to the labours of the 
 Cambridge Camden Society, who have already done much, and are still going on admirably in 
 the good cause. 
 
 I recommend to their special attention the edifices I have pointed out ; the remonstrances 
 of a body will produce far greater results than can be achieved by any individual, and immediate 
 steps should be taken to rescue these wonderful remains of ancient art from further destruction. 
 The state of fonts require particular investigation. In the parish church of St. Helen's, York, 
 on the 1st of May, 1841, the contents of the font were as follows : three dusters, a sponge, a 
 hammer, several pieces of old rope, some portions of old books, a hand broom, several tin candle 
 sockets and candle ends, besides a large deposit of dirt. 
 
 No. III. 
 
 ACCOUNT OF THE DESTRUCTIVE AND REVIVED PAGAN PRINCIPLE IN FRANCE, 
 BY MGR. LE COMTE DE MONTALEMBERT. 
 
 Nous sommes engages en ce moment dans une lutte qui ne sera pas sans quelque importance 
 dans I'histoire, et qui tient, de pres et de loin, a des interets et a des principes d'un ordre trop 
 eleve pour etre effleures en passant. En fait, il s'agit simplement de savoir si la France 
 arretera enfin le cours des devastations qui s'effectuent chez elle depuis deux siecles, et spe- 
 cialement depuis cinquante ans, avec un acharnement dont aucune autre nation et aucune 
 autre epoque n'a donne Texemple; ou bien si elle perseverera dans cette voie de i-uines, jusqu'a 
 ce que le dernier de ses anciens souvenirs soit efface, le dernier de ses monumens nationaux 
 rase, et que, soumise sans reserve a la parure que lui preparent les ingenieurs et les architectes 
 modernes, elle n'ofFre plus a Tetranger et a la posterite qu'une sorte de damier monotone 
 peuple de chifFres de la meme valeur, ou de pions tallies sur le meme modele. 
 
 Quoi qu'il en soit, et quel que doive etre le resultat des tentatives actuelles en faveur d'un 
 meilleur ordre de choses, il est certain qu'il y a eu, depuis un petit nombre d'annees, un point 
 d'arret ; que si le fleuve du vandalisme n'en a pas moins continue ses ravages periodiques, du 
 moins quelques faibles digues ont ete indiquees plutot qu'elevees, quelques clameurs energiques 
 ont interrompu le silence coupabl. et stupide qui regnait sous TEmpiie et la Restauration. 
 Cela suffit pour signaler notre epoque dans Thistoire de Part et des idees qui la dominent. 
 Cest pourquoi j'ose croire qu'il pent n'etre pas sans interet de continuer ce que j'ai commence 
 il y a cinq ans, de rassembler un certain nombre de faits caracteristiques qui puissent faire 
 juger de Petendue du mal et mesurer les progres encore incertains du bien. J'ai grande 
 confiance dans la publicite a cet egard ; c'est tou jours un appel a Tavenir, alors que ce n'est 
 point un remede pour le present. Si chaque ami de Thistoire et de Tart national tenait note 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 77 
 
 de ses souvenirs et de ses decouvertes en fait de vandalisme, s'il soumettait eusuite avec 
 courage et perseverance au jugement du public, au risque de le fatiguer quelquefois comme je 
 vais le faire aujourd'hui, par une nomenclature monotone et souvent triviale, il est probable 
 que le domaine de ce vandalisme se retrecirait de jour en jour, et dans le meme mesure ou Ton 
 verrait s'accroitre cette reprobation morale qui, chez toute nation civilisee, doit stigmatiser le 
 mepris du passe et la destruction de Thistoire. 
 
 II est juste de commencer la revue trop incomplete que je me propose de faire, par le 
 sommet de Fechelle sociale, c'est-a-dire par le gouvernement. Autant j'ai mis de violence a 
 Tattaquer en 1833, autant je lui dois d'eloges aujourd'hui pour I'heureuse tendance qu'il mani- 
 feste in faveur de nos monumens historiques, pour la protection tardive, mais affectueuse, dont 
 il les entoure. Ce sera un eternel honneur pour le gouvernement de juillet que cet arrete de son 
 premier ministre de Tinterieur, rendu presque au milieu de la confusion du combat et de toute 
 Teffervescence de la victoire, par lequel on instituait un inspecteur-general des monumens his- 
 toriques, a peu pres au meme moment ou Ton inaugurait le roi de la revolution. C'etait un 
 admirable teraoignage de confiance dans Favenir, en meme temps que de respect pour le passe. 
 On declai'ait ainsi que Ton pouvait desormais etudier et apprecier impunemment ce passe, parce 
 que toute crainte de son retour etait impossible. Cet an-ete nous a valu tout d'abord un 
 excellent rapport* sur les monumens d'une portion notable de TIle-de-France, de TArtois et 
 du Hainaut, signe par le premier inspecteur-genei'al, M. Vitet. C'etait, si je ne me trompe, 
 depuis les fameux rapports de Gregoire a la Convention, sur la destruction des monumens, la 
 premiere marque officielle d'estime donnee par un fonctionnaire public aux souvenirs de notre 
 histoire. A cette premiere impulsion ont succede, il faut le dire, de Tinsouciance et de Foubli, 
 que Ton pent, sans trop d'injustice, attribuer aux douloureuses preoccupations qui ont rempli 
 les premieres annees de notre revolution. Cependant le progres des etudes historiques, forte- 
 ment organise et pousse par M. Guizot, amenait necessairement celui des etudes sur Part. 
 Aussi vit-on ces etudes former un des objets du second comite historique, institue au ministere 
 de rinstruction publique en 1834. Avec le calme revint une sollicitude plus etendue et plus 
 vigoureuse ; on demanda aux chambres et on obtint, quoique avec peine, une somme de 200,000 
 francs pour subvenir aux premiers besoins de Pentretien des monumens historiques. M. le 
 comte de Montalivet a mis le sceau a cette heureuse reaction, en creant, le 29 septembre 1837, 
 une commission specialement chargee de veiller a la conservation des anciens monumens, et de 
 repartir entre eux la modique allocation portee au budget sous ce titre. De son cote M. de 
 Salvandy, etendant et completant Toeuvre de M. Guizot, a cree ce comite historique des arts 
 et monumens que la rapport de M. de Gaspardin a fait connaitre au public, et qui, sous Tactive 
 et zelee direction de cet ancien ministre, s'occupe avec ardeur de la reproduction de nos chefs- 
 d'oeuvres, en meme temps qu'il denonce a I'opinion les actes de vandalisme qui parviennent a 
 sa connaissance. Enfin, M. le garde-des-sceaux, en sa qualite de ministre des cultes, a public 
 une excellent circulaire sur les mesures a suivre pour la restauration des ediiices religieux, 
 circulaire a laquelle il ne manquera que d'etre suffisamment connue et repandue dans le clerge. 
 II faut espei'er maintenant que la chambre des deputes renoncera a la parcimonie mesquine qui 
 a jusqu'a present preside a ses votes en faveur de Tart, et qu'elle suivra Timpulsion donnee par 
 le pouvoir. 
 
 II y a la, avouons-le, un contraste heureux et remarquable avec ce qui se passait sous la 
 Restauration. Loin de moi la pensee d'elever des recriminations inutiles contre un regime qui 
 
 * Rapport a M. le Ministre de Tlntereur sur les monumens, etc., des departemens de I'Oise, de I'Aisne, de la 
 Marne, du Nord et du Pas-de-Calais, par M. L. Vitet. Paris, de I'imprimerie royale, 1831. Depuis, M. Merimee, 
 qui a remplace M. Vitet, a etendu la sphere de ses explorations et nous a donne deux volumes pleins de renseigne- 
 mens curieux sur I'etat des monumens dans I'ouest et le midi de la France. 
 
78 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 a si cruellement expie ses fautes, et a qui nous devons, apres tout, et nos habitudes constitu- 
 tionelles et la plupart de nos libertes ; mais, en bonne justice, il est impossible de ne pas 
 signaler une difference si honorable pour notre epoque et notre nouveau gouvernement. Chose 
 etrange ! la Restauration, a qui son nom seul semblait imposer la mission speciale de reparer 
 et de conserver les monumens du passe, a ete tout au contraire une epoque de destmction sans 
 limites; et il n''a fallu rien moins qu'un changement de dynastie pour qu'on s'aper^ut dans 
 les regions du pouvoir qu''il y avait quelque chose a faire, au nom du gouvernement, pour 
 sauver Thistoire et Fart national. Sous TEmpire, le ministre de Tinterieur, par une circulaire 
 du 4 juin 1810, fit demander a tous les prefets des renseignements sur les anciens chateaux et 
 les anciennes abbayes de TEmpire. J'ai vu des copies de plusieurs menioires fournis in exe- 
 cution de cet ordre ; ils sont pleins de details curieux sur Petat de ces monumens a cette 
 epoque, et il doit en exister un grand nombre au bureau de statistique. Sous la Restauration, 
 M. Simeon, etant ministre de Tinterieur, adopta une mesure semblable, mais on ne voit pas 
 qu'il ait produit des resultats. Le deplorable systeme d'insouciance qui a regne jusqu'en 1816 
 a 1830, se resume tout entier dans cette ordonnance, qu'on ne pourra jamais assez regretter, 
 par laquelle le magnifique depot des monumens historiques, forme aux Petits-Augustins, fut 
 detruits et disperse, sous pretexte de restitution a des proprietaires qui n'existaient plus, ou 
 qui ne savaient que faire de ce qu'on leur rendait. Je ne sache pas, en efFet, un seul de ces 
 monumens rendus a des particuliers qui soit conserve pour le pays, et je serais heureux qu'on 
 put me signaler des exceptions individuelles a cette funeste generalite. Et cependant, malgre 
 la difficulte bien connue de disposer de ces glorieux debris, on ne voulut jamais permettre au 
 fondateur de ce musee unique, homme illustre et trop peu appre'cie par tous les pouvoirs, a 
 M. Alexandre Lenoir, de former un restant de collection avec ce que personne ne reclamait. 
 Ce mepris, cette impardonnable negligence de Fantiquite chez un gouvernement qui puisait sa 
 principale force dans cette antiquite meme, s'etendit jusqu'au Conservatoire du Musique, puis- 
 que Ton a ete disperser ou vendre a vil prix la curieuse collection d'anciens instrumens de 
 musique qui y avait ete formee, ainsi que Pa revele le savant bibliothecaire de cette etablisse- 
 ment, M. Bottee de Toulmon, a une des dernieres seances du Comite des Arts. Ce systeme de 
 ruine, si puissant a Paris, se practiquait sur une echelle encore plus vaste dans les provinces. 
 Qui pourrait croire que, sous un gouvernement religieux et moral, la municipalite d'Angers, pre- 
 sidee par un depute de Textreme droite, ait pu installer un theatre dans Feglise gothique de Saint- 
 Pierre.!* Qui pourrait croii'e qu'a Aries, Feglise de Saint-Cesaire, regardee par les plus savans 
 antiquaires comme une des plus anciennes de France, ait ete transformee en mauvais lieu, sans 
 qu'aucun fonctionnaire ait reclame.? Qui croirait que, au retour des rois tres-chretiens, il n'ait 
 ete rien fait pour arracher a sa profanation militaire le magnifique palais des papes d'Avignon 
 Qui croirait enfin qu'a Clairvaux, dans ce sanctuaire si celebre, et qui dependait alors directement 
 du pouvoir, Feglise si belle, si vaste, d'un grandiose si complet; cette eglise du douzieme siecle 
 que Fon disait grand comme Notre-Dame de Paris, Feglise commencee par saint Bernard, et 
 ovi reposaient, a cote de ses reliques, tant de reines, tant de princes, tant de pieuses generations 
 de moines, et le coeur dTsabelle, fiUe de saint Louis ; cette eglise qui avait traverse, debout et 
 entiere, la Republique et FEmpire, ait attendu, pour tomber, la premiere annee de la Restau- 
 ration.'' Elle fut rasee alors, avec toutes ses chapelles attenantes, sans qu'il en restat pierre 
 sur pierre, pas meme la tombe de saint Bernard, et cela pour faire une place, plantee d'arbres, 
 au centre de la prison, qui a remplace le monastere. 
 
 Pour ne pas nous eloigner de Clairvaux et du departement de FAube, il faut savoir qu'il 
 s'est trouve un prefet de la Restauration qui a fait vendre au poids sept cents livres pesant 
 des archives de ce meme Clairvaux, transportes a la prefecture de Troyes. Le reste est encore 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 79 
 
 la, dans les greniers d'ou il les a tires pour faire cette belle speculation: et j'ai marche en 
 rougissant sur des tas de diplomes, parmi lesquels j'en ai ramasse, sous mes pieds, du pape 
 Urbain IV, ne a Troyes meme, fils d'un cordonnier de cette ville, et probablement le plus 
 illustre enfant de cette province. Ce meme prefet a rase les derniers debris du palais des 
 anciens comtes de Champagne, de cette belle et poetique dynastie des Thibaud et des Henri- 
 le-Large, pai-ce qu'ils se trouvaient sur la ligne d'un chemin de ronde qu'il avait malheureuse- 
 ment imagine. La charmante porte Saint-Jacques, construite sous Francis I ; la porte du 
 BefFroy, ont eu le meme sort. Un autre prefet de la Restauration, dans FEure-et-Loire, nous 
 a-t-on dit, n'a eprouve aucun scrupule a se laisser donner plusieurs vitraux de la cathedrale de 
 Chartres, pour en orner la chapelle de son chateau. Ce qui est sur, c'est qu'il n'y a pas un 
 departement de France ou il ne se soit consomme, pendant les quinze annees de la Restauration, 
 plus d'irremediables devastations, que pendant toute la duree de la Republique et de TEmpire ; 
 non pas toujours, il s'en faut, par le fait direct de ce gouvernement, mais toujours sous ses 
 yeux, avec sa tolerance, et sans eveiller la moindre marque de sa sollicitude. 
 
 Une pareille honte semble, Dieu merci, etre ecartee pour Favenir, quoique dans les allures 
 du gouvernement actuel tout ne soit pas egalement dignes d'eloges. Pourquoi faut-il, par 
 exemple, qu'a cote des mesures utiles et intelligentes dont nous avons parle plus haut, il y ait 
 quelquefois des actes comme celui que nous allons citer? Une societe s'est formee en Normandie 
 sous le titre de Societe fran9aise, pour la conservation des monumens ; elle a pour createur 
 M. de Caumont, cet infatigable et savant archeologue qui a plus fait que personne pour popu- 
 lariser le gout et la science de Fart historique ; elle a reussi, apres maintes difRcultes, a enre- 
 gimenter dans ses rangs les proprietaires, les ecclesiastiques, les magistrats, les artistes, non 
 seulement de la Normandie, mais encore des provinces voisines. Elle publie un recueil mensuel 
 plein de faits et de renseignements curieux, sous le titre de Bulletin monumental ; et ce qui 
 vaut encore mieux, avec le produit des cotisations de ses membres, elle donne de secours aux 
 fabriques des eglises menacees, et obtient ainsi le droit d'arreter beaucoup de destructions, et 
 celui plus precieux encore d'intervenir dans les reparations. Voila, on Favouera, une societe 
 qui n'a pas sa rivale en France, ni peut-etre en Europe, et qui meritait, a coup sur, Fappui et 
 la faveur du pouvoir. Or, devine-t-on quelle appui elle en a recu.'' M. le ministre de Finterieur 
 lui a alloue la somme de trois cents francs, a titre d" encouragement ! Que penser d'un encour- 
 agement de ce genre ? Et n'est-ce pas plutot une insulte, une veritable derision, que de jeter cent 
 ecus a une association des hommes considerables dans leur pays, et dont le zele et le devouement 
 sont propres a servir de modeles au gouvernement Esperons au moins que Fannee prochaine 
 ce delit contre Fart et Fhistoire sera repare d'une maniere conforme au bons sens et a la justice. 
 
 Apres le pouvoir central, il est juste de citer un certain nombre de magistrats et de corps 
 constitues, qui ont noblement seconde son impulsion. Ainsi plusieurs prefets, parmi lesquels 
 je dois specialement designer MM. les prefets du Calvados et de FEure ; M. Gabriel, prefet 
 a Troyes, apres Favoir ete a Auch; M. Rivet, a Lyon ; M. Chaper, a Dijon, et surtout M. le 
 comte de Rambuteau, a Paris, se montrent pleins de zele pour la conservation des edifices 
 anciens de leurs departemens. Ainsi, quelques conseils-generaux, et au premier rang ceux des 
 Deux-Sevres,* de FYonne,-f- et de la Haute-Loire, ont vote des allocations destinees a racheter 
 
 * La deliberation de ce conseil-general, dans sa session de 1838, merite d'etre citee textuellement. Apres avoir 
 vote 4,000 fr., au lieu de 3,000 que le prefet proposait, pour huit anciennes eglises du departement, le conseil 
 demande que ces sommes ne soient employees que sous la direction de I'architecte du departement et les avis de M. 
 de La Fontanelle, membre correspondant des comites historiques etablis pres le ministere de Tinstruction publique. 
 II recommande a M. I'Architecte de veiller a ce qu'on ne fasse pas disparaitre, comme il n'arrive que trop souvent, 
 les parties de I'edifice qui rappellent I'etat de I'art dans le pays, et qui meritent, par cela seul, d'etre conservees de 
 preference par des reparations faites dans le meme style. 
 
 ■|- Celui-ci a sauve, par sa genereuse intervention, deux eglises aussi precieuses pour Fhistoire que pour I'art : 
 
80 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 et a reparer des monumens qu'ils estiment, a juste titre, comme la gloire de leur contree. 
 Malheureusement ces exemples sont encore tres peu nombreux, et se concentrent dans la 
 sphere des fonctionnaires les plus eleves, et par consequent les plus absorbes par d'autres devoirs. 
 Partout, ou presque partout, les archives departementales et comnxunales sont dans un etat de 
 grand desordre ; si dans quelques villes elles sont confiees a des hommes pleins de zele et de 
 science, comme, par exemple, a M. Maillard de Chambure, a Dijon; ailleurs, a Perpignan, il 
 J a peu d'anne'es qu'on decoupait les parchemins en couvercles de pots de confiture, et a 
 Chaumont, on dechirait, tailladait et vendait a la livre tout ce qui ne paraissait pas etre titre 
 communal. Mais comment s'etonner de cette negligence, lorsqu'on voit la chambre des 
 deputes refuser, dans sa seance du 30 mai dernier, une miserable somme de 25,000 francs, 
 destinee a elever des bibliotheques administratives dans quelques prefectures. Dans les 
 administrations d'un ordre inferieur, dans le genie civil et militaire surtout, la ruine et le 
 mepris des souvenirs historiques sont encore a Pordre du jour.* Et lorsque nous mettons le 
 pied sur le trop vaste domaine des autorites locales et municipales, nous retombons en plein 
 dans la categorie la plus vaste et la plus dangereuse du vandalisme destructeur. Qu'on me 
 permette de citer quelques exemples. 
 
 Ce sont sans doute de fort belles choses que Talignement des rues et le redressement des 
 routes, ainsi que la facilite des communications et Tassainissement qui doivent en resulter. 
 Mais on ne viendra pas a bout de me persuader que les ingenieurs et les architectes ne doivent 
 pas etre arretes dans leur omnipotence, par la pensee d'enlever au pays qu'ils veulent servir, a 
 la ville qu'ils veulent embellir, un de ces monumens qui en revelent Thistoire, qui attirent les 
 etrangers, et qui donnent a une localite ce caractere special qui ne pent pas plus Tetre rem- 
 place par les pi'oduits de leur genie et de leur savoir qu'un nom ne peut Fetre par un chiffre. 
 Je ne saurais admettre que cette amour desordonne de la ligne droite qui caracterise tous nos 
 travaux d'art et de viabilite modernes, doive triompher de la beaute et de Fantiquite, comme 
 il triomphe a peu pres partout de Feconomie.-f' Je ne saurais croire que le progres tant vante 
 des sciences et des arts mecaniques doive aboutir en derniere analyse a niveler le pays sous le 
 joug de cette ligne droite, c'est-a-dire de la forme la plus elementaire et la plus sterile qui 
 existe, au detriment de toutes les considerations de beaute et meme de prudence. Ce ne serait 
 vraiment pas la peine de se feliciter du talent des jeunes savans qui sorteut de nos ecoles, si 
 ce talent se borne a tailler la surface de la France et de ses villes en carres plus ou moins 
 gi-ands, et a renverser impitoyablement tout ce qui se trouve sur le chemin de leur regie. C'est 
 cependant la le principe qui semble prevaloir dans tous les travaux publics de notre temps et 
 qui amene chaque jour de nouvelles ruines. Ainsi a Dinan, dans une petite ville de Bretagne 
 ou il ne passe peut-etre pas vingt voitures par jour, pour elargir une rue des moins passageres, 
 n'a-t-on pas ete detruire la belle fa^'ade de Fhospice de son eglise. Fun des monumens le plus 
 curieux de ces contrees ? Le maire a essaye d'en faire transporter une partie contre le mur 
 du cimetere, mais tout s'est brise en route. Cest ainsi que naguere, a Dijon, Feglise St. Jean, 
 si curieuse par Fextreme hardiesse de sa voiite, qui s'appuie sur les murs de cote, sans aucune 
 colonne, cette belle eglise, que le xviii^ siecle lui-meme avait remarquee, reduite aujourd'hui a 
 
 Vezelay, oil saint Bernard precha le croisade, et Pontigny, qui servit d'asile a saint Thomas de Cantorbery pendant 
 son exil en France. 
 
 * Parmi les exploits du genie militaire, il faut citer le badigeonnage des vieilles fresques qui ornaient la chapelle 
 de la citadelle de Perpignan, ou a eu lieu le proems du general Brossard. 
 
 t On pourrait citer de nombreuses localites ou des chemins, empierres a grands frais, ont ete pioches et trans- 
 formes en bourbier, les ressources des communes et des departemens scandaleusement gaspillees, et tous les besoins 
 des populations meconnus, parce que le pedantisme de quelque jeune ingenieur aura exige la rectification, non pas 
 d'une pente, mais une innocente et insensible courbe d'un ou deux pieds. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 81 
 
 servir de magasiu de tonneaux, s'est vue honteusement mutilee : on a elague son choeur, rien 
 (jue cela, comme une branche d'arbre inutile, et un mur qui rejoint les deux transepts separe 
 la nef du pave des voitures. On n'en agit ainsi qu'avec les monumens publics et surtout 
 religieux : il en sei'ait tout autrenient s'il etait question d'interets prives. Que les maisons 
 voisines embarrassent autant et plus le voie publique, c'est un mal qu'on subit ; mais on se dit : 
 " Connnen^ons par miner Teglise ; c'est toujours cela de gagne ; " et Ton peut affirmer har- 
 diment que le nioindre cabaret est aujourd'hui plus a Pabri des pretentions elargisseurs que le 
 plus curieux monument du moyen age. A Dieppe, toujours pour elargir, n'a-t-on pas detruit 
 la belle porte de la Barre, avec ses deux grosses tours, par laquelle on arrivait de Paris ; et 
 cela sans doute, pour la remplacer par une de ces grilles monotones, flanquees de deux hideux 
 pavilions d'octroi, avec porche et fronton, cet ideal de Tentree d\ine ville moderne, au dessus 
 duquel le genie de nos architectes n'a pas encore pu s'elever. A Thouars, le vaste et magni- 
 fique chateau des La Tremoille va etre demoli pour ouvrir un passage a la grande route : ce 
 chateau date presque entierement du moyen age, et Ton sait que les monumens militaires de 
 cette epoque sont d'une rarete desesperante. A Paris, nous approuvons de tout notre cceur 
 les nouvelles rues de la Cite, mais sans admettre la necessite absolue de detruire ce qui restait 
 des anciennes eglises de Saint-Landry et de Saint Pierre-aux-Boeufs, dont les noms se rattachent 
 aux premiers jours de Phistoire de la capitale; et si le prolongement de la rue Racine eut 
 porte un peu plus a droite ou a gauche, de maniere a ne pas produire une ligne absoknnent 
 droite de TOdeon a la rue de La Harpe, il nous semble qu'on eut trouve une compensation 
 suffisante dans la conservation de la precieuse eglise (Je Saint-Come, qui, bien que souillee par 
 son usage moderne, n'en etait pas moins Tunique de sa date et de son style a Paris. A Poitiers, 
 la fureur de Talignement est poussee si loin, que M. Vitet s'est attire toute Tanimadversion du 
 conseil municipal, pour avoir insiste, en sa qualite d'inspecteur-general, pour le maintien du 
 monument le plus ancien de cette ville, le baptistere de Saint-Jean, dont on place Torigine 
 entre le vie et le viii° siecle ; malheureusement ce temple se trouve entre le pont et le marche 
 aux veaux et aux poissons, et quoiqu'il y ait toute la largeur convenable pour que lesdits veaux 
 et poissons soient voitures tout a leur aise autour du venerable debris d'architecture franke, il 
 n"en est pas moins desagreable aux yeux eel aires de ces magistrats, deja renommes par la 
 destruction de leurs remparts et de leurs anciennes portes. lis se sont I'evoltes contre la pre- 
 tension de leur faire conserver malgre eux un obstacle a la circulation ; de la des pamphlets 
 contre Taudacieux M. Vitet, dans lesquels il etait denonce aux bouchers et aux poissardes 
 connne coupable d'encombrer les abords de leur marche ; de la, demande au gouvernement 
 d\me somme de douze mille francs, pour compenser cette irreparable dommage ; de la, plainte 
 jusque devant le conseil d'etat, ou la cause de Phistoire, de Part et de la raison, n'a pu triom- 
 pher, dit-on, qu'a la majorite d\me seule voix. Terminons Phistoire de ces funestes aligne- 
 ments, en rappellant qu'au moment meme ou nous ecrivons, Valenciennes voit disparaitre la 
 derniere arcade gothique qui ornait ses rues, qui lui rappelait son ancienne splendeur, alors 
 qu'elle partageait avec Mons Phonneur d'etre la capitale de cette glorieuse race des comtes de 
 Hainaut, qui alia regner a Constantinople. On y detruit la portion la plus curieuse de Pancien 
 Hotel-Dieu, fonde en 1431 par Gerard de Pirfontaine, chanoine d'Anthoing, avec Pautorisation 
 de Jacqueline de Baviere, et le secours de Philippe-le-Bon. On voit que les plus grands noms 
 de Phistoire locale ne trouvent pas grace devant le municipalite de Valenciennes. II faut, du 
 reste, s'etonner de Pintensite tout-a-fait speciale de Pesprit vandale, dans ces anciennes pro- 
 vinces des Pays-Bas espagnols, qui pouvaient naguere s'enorgueillir de posseder les produits 
 les plus nombreux et les plus brillans de Part gothique. Ce n'est guere que la, a ce qu'il nous 
 semble, qu'on a vu des villes s'acharner apres leurs vastes et illustres cathedrales, au point d'en 
 
 7n 
 
82 
 
 APPEXmX. 
 
 fiiire disparaitre jusnuVi la dernicre pierre pour leur substituer unu place, coinine cela s'est fait 
 a Bruges pour la cathedrale de Saint-Donat ; a Liege, pour celle de Saint- Lambert ; a Arras, 
 pour celle de Notre-Dame ; a Caiiibray, pour celle de Notre-Danie aussi, avec sa mervcilleu^e 
 fleche ! Ce n'est que la qu'on a vu, comme a Saint-Omer, la brutalite municipale poussee asse/ 
 loin pour demolir, sous pretexte de donncr travail ai(<v ourrict-.s; les plus belles ruines de TEurope 
 centrale, celles de I'abbaye de Saint-Bertin, et nianiuer ainsi d\m inefFa^-able deshonneur les 
 annales de cette cite. 
 
 Conibien de fois d'ailleurs ne voit-on pas la destruction organise'e dans nos villas, sans qu'ii 
 y ait eu nieme Tonibre d'un pretexte ? Ainsi a Troves, nVt-on pas mieux aime detruire la 
 charniante chapelle de la Passion, au c-ouvent des Cordeliers, change en prison, et puis en 
 reconstruire une nouvelle, cpie conserver rancienne pour Fusage de la prison ? Ainsi a Paris, 
 peut-on concevoir une operation plus ridicule que ce renoiu ellenient de la grille de la Place- 
 Royale, c|ue la presse a deja si generalement, niais si inutilenient blame ? Mele a cette affaire 
 par les protestations inutiles que j'ai ete charge d'elever en connnun avec M. du Somerard et 
 ]\L le baron Taylor, a Tappui des argumens sans replique, de* calculs approfondis et conscien- 
 cieux de M. Victor Hugo, j^ai pu voir de pres tout ce (ju'il y a encore de haine aveugle du 
 passe, de considerations mescpiines, d'ignorance volontaire et interessee, dans la conduite des 
 travaux d'arts vsur le plus beau theatre du monde actuel. Cette vieille grille avait en elle- 
 meme bien peu de valeur artistique : niais elle representait un principe, celui de la conservation. 
 Et les memes honnnes qui se sont ainsi obstines a aff'ubler la Place-Royale crune grille doiit 
 on avait nul besoin, ne rougissent pas de Tetat iguominieux ou se trouve Xotre-Uame, par 
 suite de Tabsence de cette grille indispensable qu'on leur demande depuis sept annees Peu 
 leur importe, en verite, que la cathedrale de Paris soit une borne d hnmondkes, comme le dit 
 avec tant de raison le rapport du comite des arts au ministre. lis trouvent de Pargent en 
 abondance pour planter un anachronisnie au milieu de la plus curieuse place de Paris, et ils 
 n\)nt pas un centime a donner pour preserver des mutilations ([uotidiennes, d'outrages indi- 
 cibles, la metropole du pays ; pour fermer cet horrible cloa([ue (jui est pour Paris et la Erance 
 entiere, pour la population et surtout pour Tadministration municipale, une fletrissure sans 
 nom comme sans example en Europe.* 
 
 Lorsque Ton voit sortir des exemples pareils du sien de la capitale, c'est a peine si Ton se 
 sent le courage de s'indigner contre les actes des municipalties subalternes : toutefois il pent 
 etre bon les signaler. Disons done qu'a Laon, cette innnense cathedrale, trojj severenient 
 iugee, ce nous semble, par M. Vitet,-f- Tune des plus vastes et des plus anciennes de Ei aiue, si 
 belle pour sa position unique, par ses quatre tours merveilleusement transparentes, par le >ym- 
 bolisme trinitaire de son abside carre, par le nombre prodigieux de ses chapelles, cette cathe- 
 drale inspire aux chefs de la cite a peu pres autant de synipathie cjue Xotre-Uame aux ediles 
 parisiens. Ses abords, deja encombres d une maniere facheuse, le seront bientot completement 
 par la construction d\ni grand nombre de maisons sur Templacement du cloitre, vendu pendant 
 la revolution. Ce terrain pouvait etre rachete par la ville pour une somme insignifiante ; mais, 
 aux reclamations elevees par des personnes intelligentes et zelees, il a ete repondu, par un 
 mao-istrat, en ces termes : " Franchement, je ne m'interesse pas aux edifices dece genre; c'est 
 a ceux (jui aiment le culte a Tappuyer."'' Reponse digne, comme on le voit, de cette nmnici- 
 palite (jui a eu le privilege de detruire le plus ancien monument historique de Erance, le tour 
 
 * En 1837, lors de la discussion, a la chambre des pairs, sur la cession du terrain de rarchevec-he a la ville, on 
 eleva quelques objections sur cette cession a titre gratuit. II fut repondu que Tetat etait suffisamment dedommage 
 par I'obligation que contractait la ville d 'entourer ce terrain dune grille ! On voit comme cette obligation a ete bien 
 
 t Page 38 de son rapport au ministre. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 83 
 
 de Louis d'Outiemer, et qui passera a la posterite, flagellee par Timpitoyable verve de M. Hugo.* 
 Ailleurs, c"'est encore le meme indifference, ou plutot le meme aversion pour tout ce qui tient 
 a Fhistoire ou a Tart. A Langres, quelques jeunes gens studieux avaient humblement demande 
 au conseil municipal Toctroi de Tabside de Saint-Didier, la plus ancienne eglise de la ville 
 (aujourd'hui enlevee au culte), afin d'y commencer un niusee d'antiquites locales, institution 
 vraiment indispensable dans une contree ou cliaque jour, en fouillant le sol, on decouvre d'in- 
 nonibrables monuniens de la domination romaine. Mais le sage conseil a refuse tout net, et a 
 prefere transformer sa vieille eglise en depot de bois et pompes. — La guerre declaree a une 
 grande idee historique vaut bien la guerre faite a un monument ; voila pourquoi nous allons 
 encore parler de Dijon. Ce n'est pas assez pour cette ville d'avoir detruit, en 1803, sa Sainte- 
 Chapelle, oeuvre merveilleuse de la generosite des dues de Bourgogne ; d'avoir transforme ses 
 belles eglises de Saint-Jean en magasin de tonneaux, de Saint-Etienne en marche convert, et 
 de Saint-Philibert en ecuries de cavalerie ; nous allons citer un nouveau trait de son histoire. 
 On sait que saint Bernard est ne a Fontaines, village situe a peu pres aussi loin de Dijon 
 que Montmartre Test de Paris. On y voit encore, a cote d'une curieuse eglise, le chateau de 
 son pere, transforme en convent de feuillans, sou,s Louis XIII, et conserve avec soin par le 
 proprietaire actuel, M. Girault."f" On a ouvert dernierement une nouvelle porte sur la route 
 qui conduit a ce village : la voix publique, d\m commun accord, lui a donne le nom de Porte 
 Saint-Bernard, et le lui conserve encore. Mais devant le conseil municipal il a en ete autre- 
 ment. Lorsque cette proposition y a ete faite, il s'est trouve un orateur assez intelligent pour 
 declarer que saint Bernard etait un Janatique et un mystique dont les allures sentaient le 
 carlisme et le jesuitisme, et qui, dans tous le cas, rCavait rienjciit pour la ville de Dijon! ! Et 
 le conseil municipal s'est range de cet avis. Je regrette, pour mon compte, que par voie 
 d'amendement on n'ait pas nomme la porte d'apres un homme aussi eclaire que cet orateur, 
 mais, dans tous les cas, il aura ete recompense par la sympathie et Papprobation de M. Eusebe 
 Salverte, qui, dans la derniere session a si energiquement blame le niinistere d'avoir consacre 
 quelques faibles sonnnes a Tentretien de Teglise de Ve'zelay, ou saint Bernard, en prechant la 
 seconde croisade, avait trouve moyen de plonger les populations fanatisees plus avant dans la 
 stagnation feodale.\ 
 
 Si maintenant nous passons des autorites municipales a la troisieme des categories de 
 vandales que j'ai autrefois etablies, celle des proprietaires, il nous faut avouer que le mal, moins 
 facile a connaitre et a denoncer, est peut-etre la plus vaste encore que partout ailleurs. Nul 
 ne saurait mesurer toute la portee de ces devastations intimes : comme le travail de la taupe, 
 elles echappent a Texamen et a Toppositibn. Ce qu'il y a de plus facheux pour Tart dans les 
 dispositions de la plupart des proprietaires fran^ais, c'est leur horreur des mines. Autrefois 
 on fabriquait des mines artificielles dans les jardins a Tanglaise ; aujourd'hui on trouve aux 
 mines veritables des edifices les plus curieux un air incomfortable, que Ton s'empresse de faire 
 disparaitre, en achevant leur demolition. Celui qui aura sur ses domaines ([uelques debris du 
 chateau de ses peres, ou d\ni abbaye incendiee a la revolution, au lieu de coniprendre tout ce 
 qu'il pent y avoir d'interet historique ou de beaute pittoi-esque dans ces vieilles pierres, n'y 
 
 * Ajoutons que le conseil-general de TAisne vote pres de deux millions par an pour ses routes, qu'il ne parvient 
 pas a employer toute cette somme : mais qu'il refuse d'en consacrer un vingtieme, un oinquantieme aux reparations 
 urgentes de Tedifice le plus remarquable du departement. II se borne a exprimer le voeu que le gouvernement 
 veuille bien le classer parmi les monumens nationaux ; comme si tous les autres departemens n'avaient pas des 
 cathedrales dignes d'etre rangees dans la meme categorie. 
 
 t Bien loin d'imiter tant de proprietaires vandales, ou pour le moins indifFerens, M. Girault a public un fort 
 bon opuscule intitule : la Mahion natale de Saint Bernard a Fonta'oie-lez-Dijon, 1824. 
 
 X Discussion du budget de I'interieur, en 1838. 
 
84 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 verra cju'iine carriere a exploiter. C"e.st aiusi cjiront disparu iiotaninient toutes les belles 
 cglises anciennes des inonastcres, dont on a quelquefois utilise les bjitimens d'habitation : c'est 
 aiiisi, par exemple, cjiie nous avons vu vendre il y a trois naois, jusqu'ii la derniere pierre dc 
 Teglise de Foigny en Thierache, pres la Capelle, eglise fondee par saint Bernard, cjui avait 
 <juatre cent pieds de long, et (jui subsistait encoie, il v a (|uel(|ues ainiecs, dans toute sa pure 
 et native beaute ; et on a pu faire disparaitre ce niagniticiue udiHce, sans cju\nie seule recla- 
 mation se soit elevee pour conserver a la contree environnante son plus bel ornement et inie 
 preuve vivante de son importance historique. Pres de la, dans un site bien boise et tres soli- 
 taire, a Bonne-Fontaine, pres d'Aubenton, abbaye fondee en 1153, on voit encore le transejit 
 meridional et six arcades de la nef de Teglise qui est evidemment du xii** siecle : mais Tannee 
 prochaine on ne les verra peut-etre plus, parce (|ue raccjuereur installe dans i'abbatiale, en 
 arraclie chacjue jour quelques pierres pour les besoins de son menage. II v a (|uinze join's, un 
 ouvrier etait occupe a depecer la grande rosace (jui formait Tantefixe du transept, et cjui, 
 laissee a nu par la destruction du pignon, se decoupait a jour sur le ciel, et produisait un eft'et 
 aussi original que pittoresque. On ne con^-oit pas qu'un esprit de speculation purement indus- 
 triel n'inspire pas mieux, et qu'on ne songe jamais aux voyageurs iiombreux qu'on eloigne en 
 depouillant le pays de toute sa parure, de tout ce qui pent distraire de Pennui, eveiller la 
 curiosite ou attirer Petude. Quelle difference deplorable pour nous entre le systeme franyais 
 et les soins scrupuleux qui ont valu a TAngleterre la conservation des admii-ables mines de 
 Tintern, de Croyland, de Netley, de Fountains, et de tant d'autres abbayes qui, pour avoir etc 
 .suppriniees et a moitie demolies par la reforme, n'en off'rent pas moins aujourdluii d"inappre- 
 ciables ressources a Tartiste et a ranti(|uaire. l\t s'il faut absolument descendre a des con- 
 siderations aussi ignobles, (jn'on aille deinander aux aubergistes, aux voituriei's, a la population 
 en genei-al des environs de ces monumens, s'ils ne trouvent pas leur compte a la conservation 
 de ces vieilles pierres qui, situees en France, auraient depuis long-temps servi a reparer une 
 route ou une ecluse. Ou en seraient les rives du Rliin, si frequentees et si admirees, avec le 
 mode d'exploitation des ruines que Ton emploie en France ? II y a long-temps que les touristes 
 et les artistes auraient abandonne ces parages, connne ils ont abandonne la Fi-ance, cette 
 France cjui etait naguere, de tons les pays de TEurope, la plus richement pourvue en eglises, 
 en chateaux et en abbayes du moyen age, et qui le serait encore si on avait pu arreter, il y a 
 vingt ans, le torrent des devastations publiques et particulieres. Aujourcriiui c'est a FAlle- 
 magne qu'il faut ceder la palme, grace au zele (jui anime a la fois le gouvernement et les 
 individus contre les progres du vandalisme, lequel y a regne comme chez nous, mais bien moins 
 long-temps. Les mesures administratives y sont appuyees par cette bonne volonte et cette 
 intelligence des individus cjui manquent si generalement en France. C"est ainsi (ju"il s'est 
 forme dans plusieurs villes des associations avec le but special de conserver tel ou tel monument 
 voisin. Nous citerons celle creee a Bamberg pour racheter et entretenir Altenbourg, Tancien 
 chateau des eveques de Bamberg. M. le baron d'Aufsess, Tun des amis les plus zeles de Tart 
 chretien et histori([ue en Allemagne, en a forme une autre pour sauver le beau chateau de 
 Zwernitz, en Franconie, et la meme mesure a ete prise par une reunion de prctres et de 
 bourgeois dans Tinteret de la vieille eglise situee au pied du Hohenstaufen. 
 
 Peut-etre verrons-nous en France des ameliorations de ce genre : la societe formee par 
 ]M. de C'auniont pour la conservation des momnnens, dont nous avons parle plus haut, pourra se 
 ])ropager et former des succursales : Uieu le veuille ! car en France, plus (ju'ailleurs, Thomme 
 isole n'a presque jamais la conscience de Fetendue de sa mission. Pour un honnne vraiment 
 energique et eclaire conune M. de C4olbcry, (pii, par Finfluence tpie lui donne sa triple cjualite 
 de legislateiu', de magistrat et de savant trcs, distingue, a rendu des services si eminens a Part 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 85 
 
 Chretien en Alsace,* nous auron.s encore pendant long-tenips cincjuante lionimes connne ^l. 
 Nicolas, architecte (le Bourbon-rArchanibault, lequel, pour donner une preuve de ses con- 
 naissances architecturales, a fait deniolir la Sainte-Chapelle de Eourbon-rArchambault,rornement 
 et la gloire du Bourbonnais, pour en vendre les materiaux. C'est en 1833 cjue le dernier debris 
 en a disparu. 
 
 Mais comment qualifier le trait que je vais raconter, et dans quelle categorie de vandales 
 faut-il ranger ses auteurs ? II y avait a Montargis une tour antique qui faisait Tadniiration 
 des voyageurs. M. Cotelle, notaire a Paris et proprietaire a Montargis, j ugeant utile de con- 
 server ces venerables restes, avait provoque des souscriptions et obtenu meme du ministere une 
 somme de 1,200 francs pour reparations vu'gentes. Malheureusement, aux elections generales 
 de 1837, M. Cotelle se presente comme candidat ministeriel ; aussitot les meneurs de Toppo- 
 tion se sont cru parfaitement en droit d'exciter quelques individus a retirer petit a petit les 
 pierres qui faisaient la base de Tedifice, et, a leur grande joie, la tour s'ecroula avec un epou- 
 vantable fracas. La nouvelle de cette belle victoire fut aussitot expediee a Paris ; le tour y 
 fut juge bon, et plus d'un journal .scricu.f le raconta avec eloge.-|" Je ne pense pas qu'il y ait 
 un autre pays au monde oii un pareil acte serait tolere, bien loin d'etre encourage. 
 
 En quittant le temporel pour le spirituel, si on examine Fetat du vandalisme chez le clerge, 
 on reconnait que sa puissance y est toujours a peu pres aussi etendue et aussi enracinee. 
 Malgre les I'ecommandations et les prescriptions de M. Teveque du Puy et de plusieurs autres 
 respectables eveques, il y a toujours dans la masse du clerge et dans les conseils de fabrique, 
 la meme manie d'enjoliveniens profanes et ridicules, la meme indifference barbare pour les trop 
 rares debris de Tantiquite chretienne. J'ai dit Tannee dernierej combien le systeme suivi 
 dans les constructions recentes etait deplorable : il me reste a parler de la maniere dont on 
 traite les edifices anciens. Je sais qu'il y a dans chaque diocese dlionorables exceptions, et 
 que le nombre de ces exceptibns s'accroit chaque jour.§ ]\Iais il est encore beaucoup trop 
 petit pour lutter contre Tesprit general, pour empecher qu'il n'y ait un contraste afHigeant 
 entre cet etat stationnaire, cette halte dans la barbarie, et la reaction salutaire manifestee par 
 le gouvernement et par des citoyens isole's. A Tappui de ce que j'avance ici, qu'il me soit 
 permis de transcrire litteralement ce qu'on m'ecrit a la fois des deux extreniites de la France : 
 Vous ne sauriez vous imaginer (c'est un pretre breton qui parle) Pardeur que Ton met dans 
 le Finistere et les Cotes du-Nord a salir de chaux ce qui restait encore intact. La passion de 
 batir de nouvelles eglises s'est emparee (Tun grand nombre de mes confreres ; malheureusement 
 elle n'est point eclairee. On veut partout du nouveau, de Tele'gant a la maniere des paiens: 
 pour ne pas ressembler a nos peres, pour ne pas imiter leur religieuse architecture, on nous fait 
 ou des salles de spectacle, ou de miserables masures sans dignite, sans elegance, sans aucun 
 cachet religieux, ou le symbolisme chretien est tout-a-fait sacrifie au caprice de ]MM. les 
 ingenieurs. Ce n'est pas que Ton ne fasse quelquefois des reclamations, mais comme elles ne 
 sont dictees que par le bon sens et la religion, et que, pour avoir des fonds, il faut suivre ser- 
 
 * Entre autres eglises, M. de Golbery a sauve celle d'Ottmarshein, qui date, selon la tradition, des temps paiens ; 
 la belle eglise de Geberschwir, et celle de Sigolsheim, fondee par I'imperatrice sainte Richarde au neuvieme siecle. 
 Dans cette derniere eglise, il a eu le merite de faire prolonger la nef de plusieurs arcades en conservant tout-a-fait 
 le style de I'original, et en reportant sur la nouvelle facade le portail du neuvieme siecle, au lieu de laisser plaquer 
 contre I'antique edifice une sorte de coffre en platras moderne, avec un peristyle a triangle obtus, comme cela se 
 pratique partout ou les besoins de la population exigent I'agrandissement d 'une vieille eglise. Entre mille exemples 
 de cette absurdite, nous citerons Saint- Vallier, sur le Rhone. 
 
 t Voyez le Courrier et le Siecle des premiers jours de Novembre 1837. 
 
 t Voyez De UEtat actuel de VArt relu/ieiu: 
 
 § Aux noms que j'ai eu occasion de citer ailleurs, je dois ajouter M. Pascal, cure de la Ferte, dans le diocese 
 de Blois, qui, dans sa polemique avec M. Didron, publiee par VUnioers, a donne des preuves de science et de zele. 
 
86 
 
 APl'ENDIX. 
 
 vilement les plans des architectes officiels, on passe a Tordre du jour." D'un autre cote, on 
 m''ecrit de Langres: "Le clerge de notre diocese est tellenient eloigne de tout sentiment de 
 Tart religieux, qu'il fi'oppo.se geiitralement uux rcj)(ir(iti(»i.s faites dans le caractere des monmnens 
 gothiques, et qu'il n'est prescjue pas de pretre tjui ne prefere une eglise a colonnes et a pilastres 
 grecs, a fenetres carrees ou en demi-eercle, garnies de rideaux de couleur, aux nionuniens 
 gothiques. Et chaque jour on voit, cjuand une eglise est trop petite, qu'au lieu de Tagrandir 
 en suivant son architecture primitive, on la detruit, et on la remplace par une salle aux murs 
 badigeonnes de jaune et de blanc." 
 
 Je pourrais citer vingt lettres semblables, qui ne contiennent toutes cjue Pexacte verite, 
 connne pent s'en assurer quiconque est done de I'instinct le plus elementaire en matiere d'art 
 religieux, et (jui \eut se donner la peine d'interroger les hommes et les lieux. Fartout il 
 trouvera des cures cjui se reposent sur leurs lauriers, apres avoir reconvert leurs vieilles eglises 
 d\ni epais badigeon beurre-frais, releve par des tranches de rouge ou de bleu, api'es avoir jete 
 aux gravois les nienaux de leurs fenetres ogivales, et echange contre les produits de pacotille 
 religieuse qu'on exporte de Paris, les trop rares monumens d'art chretien que le temps 
 avait epargnes. Je prends au hasard quelques traits parnii ceux cjue me fournit une trop triste 
 experience de ce qu'il faut bien nommer le vandalisme fabricien et sacerdotal. Quelquefois 
 c'est une profonde insouciance qui fait la genereuse aux depens de Teglise. Ainsi plusieurs 
 tonnes de vitraux provenant de Peglise d'Epernay ont ete donnes a un grand-vicaire de 
 Chalons, pour orner la chapelle de son chateau ; ainsi une paix en ivoire du xiv^ siecle, appar- 
 tenant a Saint-Jacques de Rheims, a ete donnee par Tavant-dernier cure de cette paroisse, a 
 un antiquaire de la ville. Ailleurs, c'est un esprit de mercantile avidite qui specule sur les 
 debris de Fantiquite chretienne, comme sur une proie assuree. On se rappelle la mise en vente 
 de Fancienne eglise de Chatillon, Fune des plus curieuses de la Champagne, par la fabrique, sur 
 la mise a prix de 4,000 fr., heureusement arretee par le zele infatigable de M. Didron, et le 
 rapport qu'il adressa au ministre de Fiustruction publique sur cette honteuse dilapidation. 
 Mais la oii on ne saurait vendre en gros, on se rabat sur le detail. A Amiens, on a vendu 
 trois beaux et curieux tableaux sur bois du xvi^ siecle, qui se trouvaient a la cathedrale, 
 moyennant le badigeonnage d'une des chapelles. II y en a d'autres qui servent en ce moment 
 de portes au poulailler d'un jeune abbe! Cest dans cette meme eglise qu'un des chanoines 
 disait naguere a M. du Sommerard en lui montrant des stalles du choeur, monument admirable 
 d'ancienne boiserie: "Voyez ce grenier a jmmiere! II nous empeche d'etre vus ; qui nous en 
 debari'assera.''" Dans la collection de ce savant archeologue, on voit de curieux emaux 
 byzantins, qu'il avait d'abord admires a la cathedrale de Sens, et qui lui ont ete apportes il y 
 a trois ou quatre ans, par un brocanteur, cjui les avait achetes a Feglise, toujours moyennant 
 le badigeonnage d'une chapelle. A Troyes la fabrique de la Madeleine a fait tailler, dans les 
 bases et les futs des colonnes, un certain nombre de places, que Fon loue a trois ou quatre francs 
 par an, au risque de faire ecrouler FediHce tout entier. Cest, du reste, la meme fabrique qui 
 voulait absolument abattre le fameux jube de cette eglise, regarde connne le plus beau de 
 France, sous pretexte cjue ce n'etait plus de mode, et qui ne Fa epargne ciiFa condition de 
 pouvoir Fempater sous une epaisse couche de badigeon.* Rien nVchappe ;t nu i)ri> sys- 
 tematicjue de la venerable anticiuite; mais ce qui semble specialement expose a sis coups, ce 
 sont les anciens fonts baptismaux, objets de Fetude et de Fappreciation toute paiticulicre de 
 nos voisins les Anglais. A Lagery, pres Reims, le cure a fait briser des fonts roniains pour 
 les remplacer par des fonts modernes. II en est de meme dans presque toutes les eglises du 
 nord et de Fest de la France ; partout les fonts sont brises ou relegues tlans un coin obscur, 
 * Arnaud, Antlquitih de Troyes, 1827. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 87 
 
 pour faire place a quelque conque paienne. l)e Pautre cote de la France, pres Poitiers, dans 
 una eglise dont jai le tort d'avoir oublie le noni, il y avait un ancien font baptismal par 
 immersion. Cette particularite si rare et si curieuse n'a pas sufR pour lui faire trouver grace 
 devant le cure, qui Pa fait deti'uire. Ailleurs ce sent ces vieilles tapisseries, si estimees 
 aujourd'hui des antiquaires, surtout depuis que le bel ouvrage de M. Achille Jubinal est venu 
 reveler toute la beaute et toute Tiraportance. A Clermont en Auvergne, il y a dans la cathe- 
 drale douze tapisseries provenant de Tancien eveche, et faites de 1505 a 1511, sous la direction 
 de Jacques d'Amboise, membre de cette illustre famille si genereusement amie des arts ; elle.s 
 sont toutes dechirees, moisies et abimees de poussiere. M. Thevenot, membre du comite des 
 arts, avait ofFert de les nettoyer a ses frais et d'en prendre un cal(]ue ; mais le chapitre lui a 
 repondu par un refus. A Notre-Dame de Reims, il y a encore (Pautres tapisseries du xiv® 
 siecle, qui sont decoupees, et servent de tapis de pied au trone episcopal. En revanche, quand 
 on aui-a besoin de ce genre de parures pour certaines fetes de TEglise, comme c'est encore 
 Tusage a Paris pour la semaine sainte, soyez sur qu'on ira chercher au hasard, dans qnelque 
 garde-meuble, tout ce qu'il y aui'a de plus ridiculement contradictoire avec la saintete du lieu 
 et du temps ; c'est ainsi que le vendredi saint de cette annee 1838, tout le monde a pu voir au 
 tombeau de Saint-Sulpice, le Fest'm (TAntoine et CUopatre (Cleopatre dans le costume le plus 
 leger), et a celui de Saint-Germain PAuxerrois, Verms nmenant T Amour aux ntjmphes de 
 Calypso! Terminons cette serie par un dernier trait de ce genre: a Saint-Guilhem, entre 
 Montpellier et Lodeve, il y a une eglise batie, selon la tradition, par Charlemagne, et dont 
 I'autel a ete donne par saint Gregoire VII ; cet autcl a ete arrache, relegue dans un coin, par 
 le cure qui y a substitue un autel en bois peint, oubliant sans doute cju'il outrageait ainsi les 
 deux plus grands noms du moyen age catholique, Charlemagne et Gregoire VII ! 
 
 Quand on a ainsi dispose de la partie mobiliere, il reste Timmeuble, que Ton s'evertue le 
 mieux que Ton pent a revetir d'un deguisement moderne. Quelle est Teglise de France qui ne 
 porte les traces de ces anachronismes trop souvent irreparables ? Helas ! il n'y en a litterale- 
 ment pas une seule. La ou la pioche et la rape n'ont pas laboure ces saintes pierres, Pignoble 
 badigeon les a toujours souillees. Qu'ils parlent, ceux qui ont eu le bonheur de voir une de 
 nos cathedrales du premier ordre, Chartres, par exemple, il y a quelques dix ans, avant qu'elle 
 ne fut jaunie de cet ocre blafard que Teveque a mis tantde zele a obtenir, et qu'ils nous disent, 
 si la parole leur suffi pour cela, tout ce cju'une eglise pent perdre en grandeur, en majeste, en 
 saintete, a ce sot travestissement ! Statues, bas-reliefs, chapiteaux, rinceaux, fresques, pierres 
 tombales, epitaphes, inscriptions pieuses, rien n'est epargne : il faut que tout y passe ; il faut 
 cacher tout ce qui pent rappeler les siecles de foi et d'enthousiasme religieux, ou du iiioins 
 rendre meconnaissable ce qu'on ne pent completement aneantir. D'ovi il resultera cet autre 
 avantage, que les murs de Teglise seront plus eclatans cpie le jour qui doit penetrer par les 
 fenatres, meme quand celles-ci seront degarnies de leurs vitraux, et que par consequent les 
 conducteurs naturels de la lumiere auront Pair de lui faire obstacle. Faii-e Thistoire des 
 ravages du badigeon, ce serait faire la statistique ecclesiastique de la France ; je me borne k 
 invoquer la vengeance de la publicite contre les derniers attentats qui sont parvenus a ma 
 connaissance. A Coutances, dans cette fameuse cathedrale qui a si long-temps occupe les 
 archeologues, le dernier eveque a fait peindre en jaune les deux collateraux, et la nef du milieu 
 en blanc, en meme temps qu'il ecrasait Tun des transepts sous la masse informe d'un autel 
 dedie a saint Pierre, parce qu'il s''appelait Pierre. A Boury, village pres Gisors, le cure a 
 trouve bon de donner a sa vieille eglise le costume suivant : les gros niurs en bleu, les colonnes 
 «n rose, le tout releve par des plinthes et des corniches en Jnuiie. A Laon, Teglise romane de 
 la fameuse abbaye de Saint-Martin a ete badigeonnee en ocre des pieds a la tete, par son cure, 
 
88 
 
 Al'I'EXDIX. 
 
 et dans la cathcdrale, cette charmante chapelle de la Merge qui a germe comme une fleur sur 
 les lignes severes du transept septentrional, a etc recouverte d'un jaune epais, et ornee d'une 
 serie d'arcades a rez-terre, en vert marhre, relevees par des colonnes orange ; cette mascarade 
 est due a un ecclesiastique de la paroisse, et il nV a de plus affreux que la longue balustrade 
 qui coupe par le milieu Textremite carree du choeur, et qui est peint en noir parce que le mur 
 auquel elle s'appuie, est peinte en blanc. A la grande coUegiale de Saint-Quentin, il y a 
 autour du choeur cinq cliapelles que M. Mtet a cjualific'es avec raison de " ravissantes, d'un 
 gout et d\ni dessin tout-a-foit maurescjue." * IMais je ne sais si, de son temps, celle du chevet 
 etait deforce avec des bandes de papier peint niai-brc, absolument comme Fantichambre d'un 
 hotel garni, avec un prctendu vitrail en petits caiTcs de verre bleus et rouges, a travers lesquels 
 les enfans peuvent s'amuser a voir trembloter le feuillage d'un arbre plante au chevet de 
 Feglise. On n'a pas respectc davantage la curieuse eglise de Tabbaye de Saint-]\Iichel en 
 Thicrache, (jue je reconnnande vivement aux anti<juaires (jui seront charges de la statistique 
 si importante du departement de TAisne ; dans une position charmante et presque cachee au 
 bord des vastes forets (\\n longent la frontiere beige, elle off're le plus grand intcrct par la dis- 
 position tout-a-fait excentrique de ses cinq absides, et par son transept du xii" siccle. Les 
 moines Tavaient refaite a moitie dans le xvir siecle, et avaient plaque beaucoup de marbre sur 
 ce qui restait d'ancien. Mais il y a deux ans que sa solitude et sa beaute n'ont pu la mettre a 
 Tabri d'une couche generale de jaune, d'orange et de blanc qui en alourdit et altcre les propor- 
 tions. Dans le midi on doit deplorer les badigeonnages recens de St.-Andre-le-Bas a Vienne, 
 de Xotre-Dame d'Orcival en Auvergne, de St.-Michel au Puy-en-Velay, enfin de la cathedrale 
 de Lvon ; cette dernicre oeuvre est du fait de M. Chenavard, architecte a qui des juges plus 
 competens que moi ont deja impute Iccroulement de Tancienne nef de la cathedrale de Belley, 
 ainsi que des restaurations et constructions trcs affligeantes, a Saint- Vincent de Chalons-sur- 
 Saone.-f- Quant a ce qui se passe dans Paris, j'emprunte Tcnergique langage du rapport de 
 M. de Gasparin : " On empate, dit-il, de peinture, et on cache sous le stuc deux chapelles de 
 Saint-Germain-des-Pres, en attendant qu'on ait assez d'argent pour habiller ainsi Feglise 
 entiere. On deguise, sous des couleurs vert-pomme et bleu-pale detrempees dans Fhuile, 
 Feglise Saint-Laurent, et on en transfornie en ce moment les chapelles en armoires. Enfin Fon 
 badigeonne et Fon gratte tout a la fois la grande eglise de Saint-Sulpice qu'une vieille teinte 
 grise commen9ait dcja a rendre respectable.'':!: 
 
 Ce n'est pas au clergc, c'est au conseil des batimens civils, sicgeant a Paris, qu'il faut 
 attribuer et reprocher Fodieux systcme que Fon suit partout a Fencontre des clochers d'eglises 
 rurales. II est a pen pres reconnu par tout le monde que les flcches gothiques, ou en pointe, 
 sont le plus bel ornement des horizons de nos campagnes. Mais malheur a celle qui exige des 
 reparations. Fut-elle la plus antique, la plus noble, la plus gracieuse du monde, point de 
 pitie. Des qu'on y touche, il faut la reinplacer par deux pans coupes, ou par une sorte 
 de calotte ou chaudicre. C'est la regie prescrite par le conseil des batimens, (lui ne souttre pas 
 qu'on s'en ecarte, quand mcme on aurait tout Fargent necessaire pour j)aycr (|ucl(|uc c-iiose de 
 mieux. La ville de Charmes, dans les V'osges, avait pres de cent mille francs de fonds 
 municipaux disponibles, pour une reparation de cette nature : on ne Fen a pas moins forcee a 
 remplacer, par un capuchon en forme de marmite renversee, sa flcche elegante et ficre, qui de 
 trois lieues a la ronde ornait le paysage. On pourrait citer une foule d'autres exemples de ce 
 
 * Rapport au niinistre de rinterieur, page CI. 
 
 t Cet architecte vandale est justement juge dans la lettre de M. de Giiilherniy au niinistre de rinstruction 
 publique, sur les nionuniens du Lyonnais, inseree dans /« .loiinial ilf r I tiKt ruction jmh/iqiK de Novembre 1838. 
 i Monitmr du 3 Aout 1838. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 89 
 
 genre. Le resultat general de cette sorte de progres consiste a abaisser partout les croix de 
 village de trente a quarante pieds. Belle victoire pour la civilisation. 
 
 Enfin, avant de sortir des eglises, il faut bien consacrer quelques mots a une classe speciale 
 de vandales qui y ont elu domicile, c'est-a-dire aux organistes. Si c'est un crime d'offenser les 
 yeux par des constructions baroques et ridicules, e'en est un, assurement, que d'outrager des 
 oreilles raisonnables par une pretendue music^ue religieuse qui excite dans Tame tout ce qu'on 
 veut, excepte des sentimens religieux, et d'employer a cette profanation le roi des instrumens, 
 Vorg-ane intime et majestueux des harmonies chretiennes. Or, dans toute la France, et 
 specialement a Paris, les organistes se rendent coupables de ce crime. Regie generale, toutes 
 les fois qu'on invoquera le secours si puissant et si necessaire de Torgue pour completer les 
 ceremonies du culte, toutes les fois qu'on verra affiche sur le programme de quelque fete que 
 Vorgue sera toucM par M. * * *, on pent etre d'avance sur d'entendre quelques airs du nouvel 
 opera, des valses, des contredanses, des tours de force, si Ton veut, mais jamais un motet 
 vraiment empreint de sentiment religieux, jamais une de ces grandes compositions des anciens 
 raaitres d'AUemagne ou d'ltalie ; jamais surtout une de ces vieilles melodies catholiques, faites 
 pour Torgue, et pour lesquelles seules Porgue lui-meme est fait. Je ne con^'ois rien de plus 
 grotesque et de plus profane a la fois que le systeme suivi par les organistes de Paris. Leur 
 but semble etre de montrer que Torgae, sous des mains habiles comme les leui's, peut rivaliser 
 avec le piano de la demoiselle du coin, ou avec la musique du regiment qu'on entend passer 
 dans la rue. Quelquefois ils descendent plus bas, et le jour de Paques de cette annee 1838, on 
 a entendu au salut de Saint-Etienne-du-Mont, un air fort connu des buveurs, dont les pre- 
 mieres paroles sont : 
 
 Mes amis, quand je bois, 
 
 Je siiis plus heureux qu'un roi. 
 
 On voit que ce n'est guere la peine pour Mgr. Farche'veque de Paris d'interdire la musique de 
 theati-e dans les eglises, puisque les organistes y introduisent de la musique de cabaret. H y a 
 longtemps cependant que ces abus, si patiemment toleres aujourd'hui, sont proscrits par 
 I'autorite competente ; et, pour me mettre a Pabri du reproche d'etre un novateur audacieux, 
 je veux citer deux anciens canons qu'on trouve dans le Breviaire de Paris. Le premier est du 
 concile de Paris, en 1528, decret 17: "Les saints Peres n'ont introduit dans TEglise Pusage 
 des orgues que pour le culte et le service de Dieu. Ainsi, nous defendons qu'on joue dans 
 Peglise sur ces instrumens des chants lascifs ; nous ne permettons que des sons doux, dont la 
 melodie ne represente que de saintes hymnes et des cantiques spirituels." Le second est de 
 Parcheveque Francois de Harlay, article 32 des statuts du synode de 1674 : " Nous defendons 
 expressement d'introduire dans les eglises et chapelles des musiques profanes et seculieres, avec 
 des modulations v'lves et saut'dlantes ; de jouer sur les orgues des chansons ou autres airs indignes 
 de la modestie et de la gravite du chant ecclesiastique. . . . Enfin, nous defendons d'envoyer ou 
 d'afficher des programmes pour inviter les fideles a des musiques dans les eglises, comme a des 
 pieces de theatre ou a des spectacles." 
 
 Pour pardonner tout ce qu'on fait et tout ce qui se laisse faire dans les eglises, il faut se 
 souvenir qu'on se borne a suivre la route tracee par la plupart de nos savans et de nos artistes 
 attitres, dont tout le genie consiste a mepriser et a ignorer Part chretien ; il faut se souvenir 
 que Pun des architectes les plus renommes de la capitale, et qui postule aujourd'hui une impor- 
 tante restauration gothique, qualifie Parchitecture du moyen age d'' architecture a chauve-souris, 
 et qu'une des lumieres de PAcademie des Beaux-Arts deplore partout Pappui donne par le 
 gouvernement a la seule tendance qii'il importe de decourager. 
 
 Je ne puis terminer cette in\'ective sans faire une retractation exigee par la justice. J'ai 
 
 n 
 
90 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 (lit naguere, que partout, excepte en France, les monumens d'art ancien etaient respectes, et 
 J'ai nomme la Belgicjue parmi les pays cjui lui donnaient cette salutaire le^-on. Apres avoir 
 pris une connaissance plus appi'ofondie des faits, je suis oblige de dire qu'il n'en est rien, et 
 que, si le gouvernenient et la legislation beige sont plus avances que les notres sous ce rapport, 
 en revanche, les dispositions gvnerales du pays sont plutot en arriere de celles de la France. 
 Par une contradiction remarcjuabk", la lk'lgi(|ue, (jui a\ait su se garantir plus qu'un autre pays 
 des doctrines gallicanes et philosopliitjues du xviii"' siecle, connne Pa deniontre son insurrection 
 contre Joseph II, avait cependant subi ;i un degre incroyable Finfluence de Tart degenere des 
 epoques de Louis XIV et de Louis XV. Je ne connais rien en France de comparable aux 
 gaines colossales par lesquelles on a trouve nioyen de dcfigurer la nef de la cathedrale de 
 Malines ; a la fa^-ade de Notre-Dame-de-Finistere a Bruxelles, veritable passoir a cafe flanquee 
 <le deux bilboquets ; aux niiroirs, aux platres et aux niarbrures (jui deshonorent Saint-Paul et 
 Saint-Jacques a Liege ; a ces autels nionstres en niarbre noir, inventes expres pour dutruire, 
 comme a Anvers, Teffet de la plus belle eglise gothic]ue. La 13elgi(|ue n"a pas encoie su se 
 degager de ses langes grotestjues. Et, chez elle, le vandalisnie restaurateur luarche fierement 
 a cote du vandalisnie dcstructeur. Ce dernier lui fut apporte par la con(iuete franc^'aise, (|ui fit 
 disparaitre pres{|ue toutes ses magnifiques abbayes et deux de ses plus anciennes cathedrales. 
 Le regne de la maison dXJrange fut aussi une epocjue de devastation et (rabandon svsteniaticjue. 
 Je ne veux en citer ([ue deux traits. A Tepoque ou le roi Guillaunie I" niettait en vente a son 
 profit pour 94 millions de domaines nationaux beiges, et ou il livrait a la hache d'impitoyables 
 speculateurs cette foret de Soignes, la plus belle de TEurope occidentale, Pornement de 
 Bruxelles et du pays tout entier, ce prince eclaire crut faire une bonne affaire en faisant vendre 
 aux eucheres Tancien chriteau de Vianden, dans le Luxembourg, edifice immense et admirable, 
 sur un roclier (jui domine FOur, parfaitement conserve et habite,* et qui devait en outre avoir, 
 a ses yeux, le merite d'avoir ete la premiere possession de la maison de Nassau dans les Pays- 
 Bas.-}- II fut adjuge pour six rn'dlc francs a un entrepreneur, qui en enleva les plombs, les bois, 
 et le rendit ainsi aussi inhabitable que possible, jusqu^a ce que le roi, eveille par les clanieurs 
 que faisait pousser cet acte de vandalisnie inoui, racheta les mines du chateau de ses peres 
 moyennant 3,000 francs. Cetaient toujours 1,000 ecus de profit, et une gloire de moins pour 
 sa couronne et pour le pays ; et cependant voila ce qu'on appellait une rc.staumti(»i ! Ces 
 ruines, dans leur etat actuel, sont, de Tavis unanime des voyageurs, plus \ astes et mieux con- 
 .servees que tout ce qu'on voit de ce genre sur les bords du Rhin ; (ju'on juge du prix cjifavait 
 un pareil monument dans son integrite. Sous ce meme regne, en 1822, on vovait encore, a 
 quatre lieues de Bruxelles, Timmense abbaye des Premontres de Ninove. Ses ipiatre fac^ades 
 offraient un vaste ensemble d'architecture classique, dans les proportions les plus imposantes et 
 les plus regulieres ; sa reconstruction, en 1718, avait coute 3,500,000 francs. En 1822, elle 
 etait dans un etat de conservation parfaite, et on la mettait en vente pour 80,000 francs. La 
 province de la Flandre-Orientale voulut en faire Tacc^uisition pour Toffrir comme chateau au 
 prince d'Orange, qui faisait alors batir a Bruxelles un palais dont tout IVtendue n'egale pas 
 une seule des quatre fac^-ades de Ninove ; mais le roi refusa cette offre. II nY'ut pas davantage 
 ridee d'utiliser cet immense edifice, si voisin de sa capitale, pour en feire un hospice, un 
 college, ou une caserne; et Fadjudication definitive eut lieu le 15 Janvier, apres Paffiche 
 suivante que nous croyons devoir transcrire comme une cui-ieuse ])iece justificative de la future 
 histoire du vandalisme : " Cette abbaye, dont la construction a coute plus de 1,500,000 florins 
 avant la revolution, offre, sous le rapport de la demolition, des avantages innnenses. Tons les 
 
 * Le roi I'avait repris a M. de Marboeuf, qui I'avait re^u en dotation de Napoleon, et qui I'entretenait fort bien. 
 t En 1340, Marguerite de Spanheim, heriti^re du comte de Vianden, I'apporta en dot a Othon, comte de Nassau. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 91 
 
 materiaux en sont de la plus grande beaute : le fer, le plonib, les ardoises fortes, les gres, le 
 marble, riy ont pas ete epargnes ; la charpente en est enorme ; aucune planche n'a ete clouee. 
 Pour le transport, la Dendre ofFre un nioyen facile. Les fortifications de Termonde, les 
 travaux a Bruxelles, etc., assurent le debit avantageux des materiaux. En un mot, cette vente 
 se presente aux speculateurs sous Faspect et dans les circonstances les plus favorables." 
 
 Tous ces avantages ont ete si bien saisis qu'auj ourd'hui il ne reste pas pierre sur pierre de 
 Tedifice. Seulement on pent en examiner les plans chez un menuisier de la ville, et vraiment 
 c'est une viste qui vaut la peine d'etre faite, pour voir jusqu'ou la fureur de detruire pent aller, 
 en pleine paix et sous un gouvernement regulier. 
 
 Depuis la revolution de 1830, le nouveau gouvernement s'est occupe avec quelque sollicitude 
 de la conservation des monumens. La loi communale, tout en accordant aux municipalites des 
 attributions plus larges qu'en aucun autre pays du monde, leur defend de proceder, sans 
 V approbation du roi, " a la demolition des monumens de Fantiquite et aux reparations a y faire,. 
 lorsque ces reparations sont de nature a changer le style ou le caractere des monumens." * 
 Voila de belles et sages paroles, dont Pabsence se fait regretter dans notre loi municipale 
 fran^aise ! Pour que Tapprobation du roi ne soit jamais surprise, il a ete institue une com- 
 mission royale des monumens, presidee par le comte Amedee de BeaufFort, et qui a deja rendu 
 de grands services. II faut esperer que, grace a ces precautions, on ne verra plus ce qui s'est 
 passe il y a quelques annees a Chimay, lorsque la pierre sepulcrale de Thistorien Froissart 
 (chanoine de la collegiale de Chimay) fut enlevee et brisee pour faire une entree particuliere 
 dans la chapelle des fonts ! On est deja parvenu a sauver, entre autres debris curieux, la 
 vieille porte de Hall, a Bruxelles, qui renferme encore de tres-belles salles, et que Ton 
 s'acharnait a remplacer par deux de ces barraques a porche et a fronton obtus qui ornent 
 toutes les autres entre'es de la capitale. On a meme ete assez heureux pour rendre a Sainte- 
 Gudule une portion notable de son ancienne beaute, en detruisant le maitre-autel qui obstruait 
 son chevet. M. Rogier, ancien ministre de Tinterieur, et actuellement gouverneur de la 
 province d'Anvers, avait conc^-u et propose la magnifique idee de faire terminer la fleche de la 
 cathedrale de Malines, par une souscription populaire, afin de placer sous cette consecration 
 religieuse et nationale, le souvenir de la revolution de 1830, et le point central du systeme des 
 chemins de fer qui doit changer industriellement la face de la Belgique. Malheureusement on 
 a cru s'apercevoir que les fondemens de la tour ne supporteraient pas une augmentation de 
 poids aussi considerable. La ville de Malines meriterait, du reste, assez peu cet honneur, car 
 sa regence est occupee en ce moment a postuler avec acharnement la destruction de la belle 
 
 * Voici un arrete du roi Leopold, qui montre comment cette loi excellente est executee. II est date du 28 
 novembre 1838. C'est un contraste humiliant pour nous que celui des mesures prises a Dinant en Belgique, avec 
 les devastations de Dinan en Bretagne, dont nous parlions plus haut. 
 
 " Vu I'arrete du 25 aout 1837, ordonnant le redressement de la route de premiere classe, n". 3, de Namur vers 
 Givet, dans la partie de la traverse de Dinant, comprise entre la place Saint-Nicolas et la sortie de la ville vers Givet ; 
 
 " Considerant que, par suite de ce redressement, la porte Saint-Nicolas devait etre demolie ; que cependant, cette 
 porte etant d'une belle construction et d'une grande antiquite, il est desirable qu'elle soit conservee intacte en la 
 d^gageant convenablement ; que, sous ce dernier rapport, de nouvelles depenses deviennent necessaires ; . . . . 
 
 " Considerant que la ville de Dinant est particulierement interesse a la conservation de la porte dont il s'agit, 
 et que I'Etat, tout en pretant son concours a la chose, n'est cependant determine que -par un interet secondaire 
 quant h la voirie ; 
 
 " Dispose : 
 
 " Art. 1^'. II est accord^ a la ville de Dinant, a titre de subside, une somme de trois cents francs, pour contribuer 
 a la depense que necessitera la conservation de la porte dite de Saint-Nicolas en cette ville, 
 
 " Art. 2. Les terrains necessaires, et notamraent celui qui se trouve au-dela de la porte et qui forme Tangle de 
 separation de I'ancienne route de la nouvelle, seront acquis et occupes conformement aux lois en matiere d'expropri- 
 ation pour cause d'utilite publique.' 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 porte a tourelles cjui conduit a Bruxelles ; et lors(|u'on leur reproche cette barbarie, ils 
 repondent : " Oh ! nous en avons deti'uit une, il y a (juehiues annees, celle de Louvain, qui 
 L'tait bien plus belle encore!" Et ils disent vrai, a leur plus grande honte. Mais si le 
 gouvernement a quelque prise sur les administrations provinciales et municipales, il n'en a point 
 sur les particuliers ni sur le clerge. La vente des vitivaux et des chaires, de tous les fragmens 
 mobiliers d'art chrctien, a des Anglais ou a des brocanteurs de Paris, est organisee sur une 
 tres-grande eclielle ; il n'a fallu rien nioins (jue Pintervention du roi protestant, pour empecher 
 le cure catholique d'Alsemberg, de vendre la chaire gothicjue de son eglise a un Anglais. 
 A Alne, abbaye fondee par saint Bernard, sur les bords de la Sambre, il existe encore la plus 
 grande partie de la maison et une nioitie environ de lY'glise, (jui date de Tepoeiue meme du 
 fondateur. Croirait-on cjue ce sont les anciens religieux eux-memes, qui, ayant rachete ces 
 ruines, les vendent par charretees ! A Sainte-Gudule nieme, dont la restauration se fait, en 
 generale, avec beaucoup de zele et de gout, il faut cependant denoncer Tarchitecte qui a trouve 
 bon de faire arraclier un grand nombre de consoles richement sculptees sur les tours de la 
 fa^^ade, sous pretexte que ces consoles sans statues ne signifiaient rien. Quant au regne du 
 badigeon, il est encore bien plus universe! et plus solidement etabli qu'en France. Je ne crois 
 pas qu'a Pexception de Sainte-Waudru de Mons, il y ait une seule eglise de Belgi(]ue, grande 
 ou petite, qui ne soit pas periodiquement radoubee et masticjuee d'une pate inipitoyablenient 
 epaisse ; il en resulte (|ue la sculpture, si florissante au nioyen age en Belgique, est conime 
 annulee partout ou il s'en trouve quekjues monumens dans les eglises : comment reconnaitre 
 non seulement Pexpression, mais jusqu^aux premieres formes d'une figure qui est recouverte 
 d'au moins dix couches successives de platre ? On ne se figure pas le changement que subiraient 
 toutes les eglises beiges, si quelque chimiste tout-puissant trouvait le moyen de les degager de 
 cette enveloppe deja seculaire, et de les I'endre a leur legerete primitive. II n'y a pas jusqu^au 
 delicieux jube de Louvain, dont la transparence ne soit interceptee autant que possible par un 
 voile ecailleux. Seulement au lieu du beurre frais et de Tocre, usites en France, c'est le blanc 
 qui est universellement adopte en Belgique, un blanc vif, luisant, eblouissant, dont on ne se fait 
 pas une idee avant de Pavoir vu. On sort de la comme d'un moulin, avcc la crainte d'etre soi- 
 meme blanchi. Puis si on jette un regard en arriere sur Pedifice, on se croit encore poursuivi 
 par la brosse fatale, car, par un raffinement barbare, ce n'est pas seulement Pinterieur qui est 
 metamorphose en blanc de craie, ce sont encore les porches, les portails, tout ce qui peut se 
 relever sur la couleur sombre des pierres exterieures, et jusqu'aux meneaux et aux archi voltes 
 de toutes les fenetres, ([ui sont passes au blanc par dehors, comme pour avertir le passant du 
 sort qui Pattend au dedans. Je n'ai vu nulle part le moindre germe de reforme sur ce point. 
 
 Pour en revenir a notre France, et pour qu'on ne me reproche pas de parler si long-temps 
 sans indiquer un remede, je finirai en insistant sur la necessite de regulariser et de fortifier 
 Paction de Pinspecteur-general des monumens historiques, et celle de la commission qui delibere 
 sur ses propositions au ministere de Pinterieur : une loi, ou au moins une ordonnance royale, 
 est urgente pour leur donner un droit d'intervention legale et inuncdiate dans les decisions des 
 municipalites et des conseils de ftibrique. J'ai deja cite la loi beige a ce sujet ; en Prusse il v 
 a un edit royal qui interdit strictement la destruction de tout edifice quelconque revetu 
 d'un caractere monumental ou se rattachant a un souvenir historique, et qui ordonne de con- 
 server, dans toutes les reparations de ces edifices, le caractere et le style de Parchitecture 
 primitive. En Baviere la meme prohibition existe, et s'etend, par une disposition rccente, 
 jusqu'aux chaumieres des montagnes de la Haute-Baviere, si pittorescpies, si bien calculees 
 pour le climat et la localite, et auxquelles il est defendu de substituer les boites carrees que 
 voulaient y importer certains architectes urbains. II faut que quelque mesure serieuse de ce 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 93 
 
 genre soit adoptee en France; c'est la seule chance de salut pour ce qui nous re.ste: c'est le 
 seul moyen d'appuyer les progres trop lents et trop timides de Topinion. 
 
 Et, en verite, il est temps d'arreter les demolisseurs. A mesure que Ton approfondit 
 Tetude de notre ancienne histoire et de la societe telle qu'elle etait organisee dans le.s siecles 
 catholiques, on se fait, ce me semble, une idee plus nette et une appreciation plus serieuse des 
 formes materielles que cette societe avait creees, pour lui servir de manifestations exterieures. 
 II est impossible alors de n'etre pas frappe du contraste que presente le monde actucl avec le 
 monde d alors,^ sous le rapport de la beaute. On a fait bien des progres de tons genres ; je 
 n'en tends ni les contester, ni meme les examiner; il en est que j^adopte avec toute la ferveur 
 de mon siecle; mais je ne puis m'empecher de deplorer que tous ce.s progres n'aient pu etre 
 obtenus qu'aux depens de la beaute, qu'ils aient intronise le regne du laid, du plat et du mono- 
 tone. Le beau est un des besoins de Thomme, de ses plus nobles besoins ; il est de jour en 
 jour moins satisfait dans notre societe moderne. Je m'imagine qu'un de nos harhares aYeux du 
 xv^ ou du xvi° siecle nous plaindrait amerement si, revenant du tombeau parmi nous, il com- 
 parait la France telle qu'il Tavait laissee avec la France telle que nous Tavons faite; son pays 
 tout parseme de monumens innombrables et aussi merveilleux par leur beaute que par leur 
 inepuisable variete, avec sa surface actuelle de jour en jour plus uniforme et plus aplatie ; ces 
 villes annoncees de loin par leur foret de clochers, par des ramparts et des portes si majes- 
 tuL'Uses, avec nos cjuartiers neufs qui s'elevent, tailles sur les memes patrons, dans toutes les 
 sous-prefectures du royaume; ces chateaux sur chatjue montagne, et ces abbayes dans chaque 
 vallee, avec les masses informes de nos manufactures; ces eglises, ces chapelles dans chaque 
 village, toujours remplies de sculptures et de tableaux d\me originalite complete, avec les 
 hideux produits de Tarchitecture officielle de nos jours; ces fleches a jour avec les noirs tuyaux 
 de nos usines, et, en dernier lieu, son noble et gracieux costume a\ ec notre habit a queue de 
 morue. — Laissons au moins les choses telles cju'elles sont; le monde est assez laid conmie cela ; 
 gardons au moins les trop rares vestiges de son ancienne beaute, et, pour cela, empechons un 
 vandalisme decrepit de continuer a mettre en coupe reglee les souvenirs de notre histoire et de 
 defricher officiellement les monumens plantes sur le sol de la patrie par la forte main de 
 nos ai'eux. 
 
 No. IV.— DURHAM ABBEY. 
 
 THE NORTH ALLEY OF THE CLOISTERS. 
 
 In the north side of the cloisters, from the corner over-against the church door, to the corner 
 opposite to the dormitory door, was all finely glazed, from the top to the bottom, within a little 
 of the ground into the cloister-garth ; and in every w indow were three pews or carrels, where 
 every one of the old monks had a carrel severally to himself, to which, after dinner, they re- 
 sorted, and there studied their books, every one in his carrel, till the time of even-song ; and 
 thus they exercised themselves every day. These pews or carrels were finely wainscotted, and 
 very close, except the fore-side, which was carved work, and admitted light through the carrel 
 doors, in each of which was a desk to lay books on ; and the carrels were no wider than from 
 one stanchel of the window to another. 
 
 Opposite to the carrels against the church wall, stood certain great almeries of wainscot, full 
 of books, as well the old written doctors of the church, as other profane authors, with many 
 other holy men's works ; so that every one studied what doctor he pleased, having the library 
 at all times open to resort to, and study in, as well as in their carrels. 
 
94 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 THK DORTOR, DORTOIR, OR DORMITORY. 
 
 On the west side of the cloister was a large house, called the dortoir, where the monks and 
 novices lay. Every monk had a little chamber to himself. Each chamber had a window towards 
 the chapter, and the partition betwixt every chamber was close wainscotted, and in each 
 window was a desk to support their books. On the west side of the said dortoir were the like 
 chambers, with their windows and desks towards the infirmary and the water; the chambers 
 being all well boarded. 
 
 The novices had likewise their chambers in the south end of the said dortoir, adjoining to 
 the aforesaid chambers, having eight chambers on each side. Every novice had his chamber 
 to himself, but neither so close nor so warm as the other chambers were ; nor having any light 
 but what came in at the foreside of their chambers, being quite close both above and on each 
 side. 
 
 At each end of the dortoir was a square stone, wherein was a dozen of cressets wrought in 
 each stone, being always filled and supplied by the cooks, as they needed, to afford light to the 
 monks and novices, at their arising to their matins at midnight, and for their other necessary 
 uses. 
 
 There was a large house and most decent place adjoining to the west side of the said dortoir, 
 towards the water, for the monks and novices to resort unto, called the privies. Two great 
 pillars of stone supported the whole floor thereof; and every seat and partition was wainscotted 
 close on every side, so that they could not see one another when they were therein. There 
 were as many seats on each side as little windows in the wall, to give light to the said seats ; 
 which afterwards were walled up, to make the house more close. In the west end were three 
 beautiful glass windows; and on the south side above the seats, another fine glass window, 
 which windows gave light to the whole. 
 
 In the dortoir every night a private search was made by the sub-prior, who called at every 
 monk's chamber door, to see good order kept, and that none should be wanting. The middle 
 part of it was paved with fine tile stones the whole length: the sub-prior\s chamber was the 
 first, as he was to see order kept. 
 
 The sub-prior always dined and supped with the convent, sitting at the upper end of the 
 table; and supper being ended, which was always at five o'clock, upon ringing a bell to call 
 one of the novices to say grace, they went to the chapter-house to meet the prior, there to 
 remain in prayer and devotion till six o'clock. Then upon ringing a bell again they went to 
 the salvi, and all the doors of the cells, the frater-house, the dortoir, and the cloisters, were 
 locked, even at six o'clock, and the keys delivered to the sub-prior, till seven o'clock the next 
 morning. 
 
 THE I.OFT. 
 
 There was also a door in the west end of the frater-house, just within the frater-house door, 
 at which the old monks or convent entered, and then ascended up a pair of stairs, having an 
 iron rail to sufjport themselves by, into a loft which was at the west end of the frater-house, 
 above the cellar, where the convent and monks dined and supped together. The sub-prior sat 
 at the upper end of the table, as chief ; and they had their meat served from the great kitchen, 
 in at the dresser-window, and brought through the frater-house : the said kitchen served both 
 the prior and the whole convent, having t\\ o windows into the frater-house ; the one M as large 
 for principal days, the other not so large for every day. At the foot of the stairs was another 
 door, leading into the great cellar or buttery, where all the drink stood that served the prior, 
 and the whole convent of monks. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 95 
 
 This loft, since the dissolution of the monastry, was made the dining-room of the fifth pre- 
 bendaries house. 
 
 The monks were accustomed every day after dinner, to go through the cloisters, in at the 
 ushers door, and so through the entry under the prior's lodgings into the centry-garth where 
 the monks were buried, where they all stood bareheaded a good space, praying among the 
 tombs for the souls of their brethren who were buried there : and when they had done their 
 prayers, they returned to the cloister, and stayed till three o'clock, that they went to even- 
 song. This was their daily practice after dinner. 
 
 The monks were the only writers of the acts and deeds of the bishops and priors of the 
 church of Durham, and of the other chronicles and histories : they likewise recorded other 
 most valuable things, as what acts, what occurrences, what miracles performed every year, and 
 in what month ; being always virtuously employed, either in writing good and godly works, or 
 studying the holy scriptures, to the setting forth the honour of God, and the edifying the 
 people, as well in example of good life and conversation, as by preaching the word of God. 
 Such were the labours of monks and religious men in ancient times. 
 
 THE COMMON HOUSE. 
 
 On the right hand at going out of the cloisters into the infirmary, was the common house. 
 It was instituted to have a fire constantly by day in winter, for the use of the monks, who were 
 allowed no other fire ; but the master and officers of the house had their o^^'n several fires. A 
 garden and bowling-alley belonged to the said house, towards the water, for the novices some- 
 times to recreate themselves, leave being first granted ; their master attending to see to their 
 good order. In this house once in the year, between Martinmas and Christmas, the master of 
 it kept his O Sapientia, a solemn banquet, at which the prior and convent were entertained 
 with figs, raisins, ale, and cakes, but not to superfluity or excess, being only a moderate 
 scholastical congratulation among themselves. 
 
 THE GUEST-HALL. 
 
 A famous house of hospitality was kept within the Abbey-garth of Durham, called the guest- 
 hall, and was situate on the west side towards the Avater. The terrer of the house ^v■as master 
 thereof, as one appointed to give entertainment to all estates, noble, gentle, or what other 
 degree soever, came thither as strangers. Their entertainment was not inferior to that of any 
 place in England, both for the goodness of their diet, the clean and neat furniture of their 
 lodgings, and generally all things necessary for travellers ; and with all this entertainment, no 
 man was required to depart, while he continued honest, and of good behaviour. 
 
 The houses belonging to the second, third, fourth, and tenth prebendaries, were erected out 
 of the apartments and other offices belonging to the guest-hall, the hall itself being whollv 
 demolished, nothing remaining except a part of the western wall : but nothing remains to let 
 us know what was in the sixth and twelfth prebendaries houses. 
 
 This hall was a stately place, not unlike the body of a church, supported on each side by 
 very fine pillars, and in the midst of the hall a large range for the fire. The chambers and 
 lodgings belonging to it were kept very clean, and richly furnished. They were very pleasant 
 to lie in, especially one chamber, called the king's chamber, well deserving that name ; for the 
 king himself might very well lie in it, such was the stateliness thereof. 
 
 The victuals the guests were entertained with came from the great kitchen of the prior, the 
 
96 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 bread and beer from his pantry and cellars. If they were honourable, they were served as 
 honourably as the prior himself, otherwise according to their quality. 
 
 The terrer had certain men appointed to wait at his table, and to attend upon his guests 
 and strangers ; and for their better entertainment he had always a hogshead or two of wines 
 kept in a cellar pertaining to the said hall. 
 
 The prior (whose hospitality was such as that, in reality, there was no need of the guest-hall, 
 but that the convent was desirous to abound in all liberal and free almsgivings) kept a most 
 splendid and noble house, being attended by the best gentlemen and yeomen in the country, 
 and the magnificent ser^'ice of his house deserved no less ; so great were the liberalities and 
 benevolence of his house-keeping, that constant relief and alms wei'e daily given, not only to 
 the poor of the city, but to those of the country round about. 
 
 The lord prior had two porters, one at the hall door, called Robert Smith, the other at the 
 usher-door, at going from the great chamber to the church, called Robert Clark ; which two 
 were the last porters to the last prior. 
 
 There \vere certain poor children, called the children of the almefy, ^vho only were educated 
 in learning, and relieved with the alms and benevolence of the whole house, having their meat 
 and drink in a loft on the north side of the Abbey gates, before the suppression of the said 
 house. This loft had a long slated porch over the stair-head, and at each side of the said 
 porch were stairs to go up to the loft, with a stable underneath it, and a door into it, under 
 the stair-head, to go into the said stable. This edifice, at the suppression of the house, became 
 Mr. Stephen Marley's lodging. Soon after the suppression he altered it, and took down the 
 porch and stairs that went up to the loft, and made a kitchen where the stable A\ as, and his 
 buttery above where the loft was. The children went to school at the infirmary school without 
 the Abbey-gates, which was founded by the priors of the Abbey, at the charge of the house. 
 The last schoolmaster was Sir Robert Hartburne, who continued master till the suppression of 
 the house. He was bound to say mass twice a week at Magdalen's chapel, near Kepier, and 
 once a week at Kimblesworth. The meat and drink these children had, was what the monks 
 and novices with their master had left. It was carried in at a door adjoining the great kitchen 
 window into a little vault at the west end of the frater-house, like a pantry, called the covie, 
 kept by a man. Within it was a window, at which some of the children received the meat 
 and drink of the said man, called the clerk of the covie, out of the covie or pantry window, 
 and carried it to the loft. This clerk waited on them at every meal to keep good older. 
 
 There were four aged women who lived in the infirmary, without the south gates of the 
 Abbey of Durham, each having her several chamber to lie in, being supplied and fed only with 
 the victuals that came from the prior's own table. 
 
 In the infirmary was a chapel, where the schoolmaster of the infirmary (having his chamber 
 and school above it) or some other priest for him, was appointed to say mass to these aged 
 women every holiday and Friday. 
 
 No. V. 
 
 ABBEY OF ST. WANDRILLE, NORMANDY. ESSAI PAR E. H. I.ANCLOIS. 
 
 AvEc Guillaume de la Douillie, mort en 1341, cessercnt, juscju'au dix-septieme siecle, les 
 reconstructions les plus remarquables auxciuelles la basilicjue de Fontenelle ait jamais donne 
 lieu; et dcpuis cet abbe jus(ju'a nos jours, cc \aste et beau monument demeura toujours 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 9T 
 
 imparfait. Ce fut en vain que Clement VII, pape d'Avignon, comme Pappelle D. Duplessis^ 
 octroya aux religieux, a la priere de Charles VI, la reunion a leur abbaye du prieure de 
 Quitri, dans le Vexin norniand. La modicite de ce secours, les evenemens deplorables qui 
 signalerent ces epoques de crimes, de deuil et de sang, la peste enfin, semblerent de concert 
 s'opposer a rachevement de cette entreprise. Peut-etre pourrions-nous citer encore une raison 
 un peu posterieure et bien difFerente, mais non moins puissante: le decouragement et Phumeur 
 assez fondes des moines qui, depuis le fameux concordat de Leon X et de Francois P"", 
 voyaient avec depit les deux tiers de leurs revenus passer dans les mains des commendataires, 
 hommes du siecle, qui souvent les honoraient de la plus profonde indifference, quand ils ne les 
 accablaient pas de ruineuses procedures.* Aussi, a dater de cette epoque, sauf quelquefi 
 notables exceptions, soit penurie, soit refroidissement de zele, s'occupa-t-on beaucoup plus, au 
 fond des cloitres, des commodites de la vie et d'un vain luxe meme, que de ce qui pouvait 
 aj outer a la magnificence, a la majeste des lieux saints. * * * 
 
 Je ne puis passer sous silence quekjues extraits de la relation de ces evenemens inseree 
 dans VHistoire (MSS.) de Saint-Wandrille, deptiis la reforme. Ces details se rattachent 
 d'ailleurs a la destruction de deux edifices les plus importans de ce monastere, apres la 
 basilique, et qui, sans contredit, presentaient un bien plus haut degre d'interet, sous le rapport 
 de Tarcheologie. C'etaient Tancien dortoir et le vieux chapitre. Le premier etait construit 
 par Herleve, femme de Robert de Normandie, archeveque de Rouen, qui depuis y fut inhumee. 
 II avait trente-cinq pieds de haut sur cent vingt de large. Au-dessus de ce monument 
 regnait, egalement edifiee par Herleve, la premiere partie du chapitre, qui n'avait que douze 
 pieds d'elevation ; mais celle qui Fexcedait en portait trente de hauteur et autant en longueur 
 et en largeur. Cette deuxieme partie, ouvi-age de Maynai'd, vingt-sixieme abbe et restaurateur 
 de Fontenelle dans le dixieme siecle, etait eclairee par quatre grandes croisees, deux a Forient 
 et deux au septentrion ; mais il est presumable que ces grandes croisees avaient ete percees 
 a une epoque posterieure a Terection de cet edifice, ou qu'on avait considerablement agrandi 
 les anciennes, dont les bales devaient etre, selon le style du temps, d'une tres-mediocre dimen- 
 sion. Malgre la singularite de sa disposition, ce double chapitre, pris dans son ensemble, etait 
 regarde comme un chef-d'oeuvre de Tarchitecture de ces temps recules. Cependant, malgre 
 tout ce qui devait le rendre respectable, D. Laurent Hunault, prieur, entreprit et consomma sa 
 perte, ainsi que celle du vieux dortoir, en 1671. II Parait que ce moine, doue d'un zele actif, 
 mais souvent mal entendu, etait un de ces hommes qui ne balancent pas a realiser leurs 
 aveugles conceptions, aux depens de ce que les siecles passes nous ont transmis de plus 
 admirable. Son insensibilite fit, au rapport de Tauteur qui me fournit ces details, verser bien 
 des larmes a Testimable D. Alexis Breard, Tinfatigable historien de cette abbaye, et a tons 
 ceux qui pensaient comme lui. L'obstine prieur n'en poursuivit pas moins son entreprise. 
 
 Deja les ouvriers etaient pres de defoncer le chapitre et de le demolir jusqu'aux fondemens, 
 
 * II est certain que les religieux veritablement attaches a leurs institutions primitives, regard^rent toujours les 
 commendataires comme des especes d'intrus, et ne virent jamais de bon oeil la revolution que le concordat avait 
 operee dans le regime monastique. Pres de deux siecles encore apres cet evenement, le P. Breard, historien de 
 Saint-Wandrille, exprimait a cet egard sans la moindre reserve son chagrin, ses regrets et ses esperances. En parlant, 
 dans ses Vies des Hommes illustres de Fontenelle, de Jacques Hommet, dernier abbe regulier de ce monastere, "son 
 corps fut enterre, dit-il, devant I'autel matutinal de la grande eglise, et avec lui la dignite abbatiale de Fontenelle, 
 dignite qui ne subsiste plus que de nom, le veritable pasteur de cette abbaye ne portant que le titre de prieur, tandis 
 que, les commendataires et ceconomes sarrogent les vinirahles noms d^abb6s. 
 
 " Louons nostre bon Dieu, poursuit le zele religieux, parmi ces desordres, et portons courageusement les 
 iniquites ou plus-tost les fruits des peches de nos peres. Peut-estre que ce debonnaire seigneur ne sera pas toujours 
 fasche, et qu'il se servira, pour remettre les abbayes en regie, de ceux-la mesme dont il a use pour en donner 
 I'administration aux laiqs et seculiers. Ainsi soit-il." 
 
 O 
 
98 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 lorsqu'en creusant la terre a son entree, on rencontra quatre sepulcres de pierre, dont toutes 
 les parties etaient si bieu unies et si entieres, qu'on aurait ci-u que I'ouvrier venait d'y niettre 
 la derniere main. Quand on les eut ouverts, on trouva dans tons, sans exception, des bottines 
 d'un cuir si excellent qu'on pouvait encore s'en servir. On remarqua de plus, dans le premier, 
 une baguette de coudrier, de la longueur du tombeau. La cheveleure blonde de la tete du 
 troisieme corps, s'etait aussi conservee sans alteration. Mais le quatrieme sepulcre renfermait 
 ce qu'il avait de plus remarquable et de plus interessant pour Thistoire : je veux dire une 
 epitaphe en vers gravee sur une lame de plomb. II est certainement facheux que cette 
 inscription n'ait pas ete entierement dechiffree. La voici telle que les PP. Bonnefont et 
 Breard nous Pont laissee dans leurs ecrits. Comme ils ne s'accordent pas entre eux dans la 
 maniere de la lire, nous renvoyons dans les notes les variantes du dernier. 
 
 H)C inhumatus * jacet Willelmus t nomine. . . . 
 
 Nobilium de stirpe parentum nascitur esse 
 
 Ricardi ducis Malgerius unde refulsit : 
 
 Ad cujus Irevam requiescit filius ejus 
 
 Nomine Rodolphus, major natu fuit inquam II. 
 
 Hie III. jdus junii obiit, et uxor ejus Arectrix. . . . 
 
 Qute juxi^ eum quiescit Malgero % 
 
 . . . . iis succedentibus sibi tribus 
 
 In laicali g (minor natu Fontanella. . . . 
 
 Est consecratus divino) numini monachili habitu. 
 
 Telle est Tepitaphe qu'on decouvrit dans le quatrieme monument. Voici maintenant les 
 conjectures de D. Alexis Breard. Selon lui, Mauger comte d'Evreux, fils de Richard II comte 
 de la meme ville, de la nation des Normands, choisit sa sepulture, en 1118, a Tentree du 
 chapitre de Fontenelle, aupres de son pere; et dans la suite Raoul, ou Rodulphe, fils de 
 Mauger, et sa femme Arectrix, furent aussi inhumes au meme lieu. Cela suppose, D. Breard 
 soup^onne qu'il y a une meprise dans le Neustria pia du P. Artus du Moutier, qui aura con- 
 fondu Mauger avec Guillaume, lorsqu'il pi'etend que ce comte d'Evreux fut enterre a Saint- 
 Wandrille, dans le tombeau de Richard son pere, en 1118. Le P. Mabillon neanmoins, dans 
 ses Annales, a Fannee 1108, dit que le comte Guillaume fut inhume a Fontenelle, aupres de son 
 pere. S'il faut lire avec D. Bonnefont hk inhumatus jacet Willelmus, la difficulte sera levee, 
 mais non pas a Favantage du P. Breard. 
 
 Ce dernier auteur va neanmoins encore plus loin : il croit que Richard, Mauger et Rodulphe 
 sont trois comtes d'Evreux qui se sont succedes les uns aux autres ; que les quatre tombeaux 
 defonces sont ceux de ces trois comtes, et d' Arectrix, epouse de Rodulphe ; qu'ainsi ceux qui 
 ont dresse les divers catalogues des comtes d'Evreux, ont eu grand tort d'en exclure ce 
 dernier. Au reste, on ne pent que louer la modestie de notre auteur, qui s'est contente de 
 nous donner toutes ces observations historiques pour de fortes conjectures sans vouloir les 
 criger en faits certains. 
 
 Quant a D. Benoit Bonnefont, il est plus hardi et plus decisif ; il dit nettement que la lame 
 de plomb fit connaitre aux religieux de Saint- Wandrille " que Richard, comte d'Evreux, avec 
 sa femme et ses deux enfans, avaient ete ense veils audit lieu en Fannee 1118." Mais dans son 
 troisieme volume des Vies des Saints de FoJitenelle, page 156, il rapporte un autre sentiment, 
 suivant lequel "le Richard dont il est parle dans Fepitaphe etait comte d'Evreux, auquel 
 succeda son fils, appele Guillaume ; tous deux furent ensevelis a Saint- Wandrille avec la femme 
 
 * Breardus legit inhumata. t Willelmus deest apud Breardum. 
 
 t Apud Breardum sic habetur : M. . . . oro. ... § Quce includuntur uncinis, desunt apud Breardum. 
 ^ Breard, monachali. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 99 
 
 du second et un de leurs enfans, qui avait ete revetu de Thabit de la sainte religion, et etait 
 dece'de dans ce monastere." 
 
 Peut-etre qu'en examinant de plus pres Tepitaphe en elle-meme, et en la comparant a This- 
 toire du temps, on eut pu dire quelque chose de plus net et de plus exact que ces auteurs. 
 
 Les ouvriers, continuant a creuser la terre, rencontrerent, proche d'un gros pillier qui sou- 
 tenait le devant du chapitre, un cercueil d'une seule pierre. On ne douta point que ce ne fut 
 celui de Girard II, trente-cinquienie abbe de Fontenelle, qui, en 1126, avait t-te enterre 
 precisement en ce lieu-la, comme on Tapprend par un ancien catalogue anonyme des abbes de 
 ce monastere. La tete de cet abbe etait si entiere, qu'il ne lui etait pas tombe une seule dent. 
 II avait une crosse de bois fort legere, et qui etait tres-bien conservee : sa grosseur etait de 
 trois pouces et sa longueur de cinq pieds. 
 
 Au cote gauche de Tabbe Girard, parut, bientot apres, un autre tombeau de pierre : c'etait 
 celui de Gerbert ou Girbert-le-Teutonique, trente-troisieme abbe de Fontenelle, compte parmi 
 les saints, et que Guillaume-le-Conquerant ne fit point difficulte de mettre en parallele avec 
 saint Anselme et le bienheureux Lanfranc. On ne trouva dans son sepulture qu'un baton noir, 
 un peu plat, et une lame de plomb, avec ces paroles : In nomine Domini hic jacet Gerbeiitus 
 NATIONS Teutonicus. D. Bonuefoiit semble supposer que ce n'etait qu'une partie de Pepi- 
 taphe, et qu'on n'avait pu lire le reste. II avance meme, comme un fait certain, que ce saint 
 abbe n'avait point de crosse, quoique D. Breard n'en convienne point. 
 
 Enfin, les ouvriers penetrerent dans le chapitre meme. Apres en avoir deplace le cercueil 
 d'un religieux ancien, mort depuis Tintroduction de la reforme, ils rencontrerent cinq sepulcres 
 sur une meme ligne. Quand on eut fait Touverture du premier, on fut surpris de voir, au lieu 
 d'ossemens, un habit de la meme forme que ceux des benedictins de la congregation de Saint- 
 Maur, quoique d'une etofFe plus grossiere, et d'une couleur tirant sur le minime. On aper^ut 
 aussi une ceinture de cuir avec une boucle de fer. Le capuchon avait ete abaisse sur le visage 
 et le couvrait tout-a-fait. Mais lorsqu'on voulut le relever, les habits et la ceinture s'en 
 allerent presque entierement en poussiere. 
 
 On ne doute point que ce ne fut le sepulcre de Roger, trente-huitieme abbe de Fontenelle, 
 mort en 1165. Quoiqu'en exhaussant le chapitre de quelques pieds, un an avant Tintroduction 
 de la reforme, on eut neglige, au rapport de D. Breard, de relever les briques sur lesquelles 
 etait son epitaphe, en quoi Ton fut plus attentif a Tegard des quatre autres abbes dont les 
 sepulcres, aussi bien que celui de Roger, etaient devant la chaise du superieur ; on ne profita 
 pas neanmoins de cette attention dans le defoncement du chapitre : tous les paves furent con- 
 fondus et jetes pele-mele, sans nulle pre'caution ; en sorte qu'on fut oblige de recourir a d'autres 
 moyens pour avoir connaissance de ces cinq abbes. Du reste, Tadmiration redoubla a Touver- 
 ture des quatre autres tombeaux. Tous ces abbes, sans en excepter le premier, avaient des 
 bottines qui leur montaient jusqu"'au-dessus des genoux. Trois avaient des crosses parmi 
 lesquelles il s'en trouva une garnie de clous dores et de quantite de fausses pierres precieuses de 
 diverses couleurs. Un serpent replie en formait le sommet, et une pomme d'or en terminait le 
 bout. Ces corps, ou plutot ces ossemens, etaient revetus de chasubles semblables ii celles dont 
 on se servait dans le douzieme siecle. II y en avait deux parmi elles qui j etaient beaucoup 
 d'eclat. Mais outre des bracelets de drap d'or tres-artistement travailles, la chasuble et Tetole 
 du troisieme surpassaient tous les autres ornemens par leur prix et la vivacite de leurs couleurs. 
 D. Bonnefont, qui avait eu les bracelets quelque temps entre les mains, les fit remettre dans 
 le tresor de Saint- Wandrille. 
 
 Nous avons deja remarque que Roger etait le premier des cinq abbes; le deuxieme etait 
 Anfroy, ou Anfrede, trente-neuvieme abbe ; le troisieme, Geoffroy I" ou Gaufride, quarante- 
 
100 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 et-unieme abbe : c'est celui qui portait des oinemens si magnifiques ; le quatrieme etait Pierre 
 Mauviel, quarante-septieme abbe ; et le cinquieme, Geoffrey III, surnomme Savary, cinquante- 
 quatrieme abbe de ce monastere. Les cinq abbes furent, avec Girard II, transferes dans 
 Teglise principale et enterres au pied du grand autel. 
 
 Apres avoir defence le chapitre et Favoir creuse deux pieds plus bas que les fondemens de 
 Teglise, les travailleurs se mirent en devoir d'en enlever les terres. Dans cette action, ils 
 sentirent un nouveau sepulcre, que D. Bonnefont prend pour celui de saint Ansegise, dix- 
 neuvieme abbe de Fontenelle, au milieu du neuvieme siecle. Vis-a-vis celui-ci, on trouva un 
 autre sepulcre de pierre, trois pieds au-dessous de la place ou Ton avait decouvert les tombeaux 
 que Ton avait juge pouvoir renfermer les comtes d'Evreux. D'abord, on nV aper^^ut que des 
 ossemens d'une blancheur extraordinaire. On y trouva aussi neanmoins une lame de plomb si 
 rouillee, que personne ne pouvait la lire. Elle fut portee au P. prieur, qui negligea quelques 
 jours d'en faire detacher la rouille. Enfin on y lut cette inscription : 
 
 HlC REQUIESCrr ABIiAS GEllARDUS IV. 
 KAL. DECEMBRIS 
 Ali INJUSTO INJUSTE INTERFECTUS.* 
 
 On reconnut alors que cet abbe n'etait autre chose que le saint-Gerard, martyr, dont on 
 celebrait la fete a Saint- Wandrille le 9 novembre, et que Gerbert-le-Teutonique etait le saint 
 Girbert ou Gilbert dont on chomait aussi la fete le 4 septembre. II n'etait plus temps nean- 
 moins de recueillir precieusement ces reliques, ni meme de les distinguer. D. Pierre Lastelle, 
 depositaire de Tabbaye, choque du concours de peuple que la devotion attirait dans ces lieux 
 depuis la decouverte de ces tombeaux, et pour plusieurs autres raisons, avait malicieusement 
 mele les ossemens de ces deux saints avec ceux d'un ancien religieux et des comtes d'Evreux. 
 II n'avait pas plus favorablement traite le corps qu'on presumait etre celui de saint Ansegise. 
 
 Tous ces debris humains furent inhumes pele-mele, et confondus derriere le grand autel de 
 Teglise abbatiale, au milieu des plaintes ameres des religieux. 
 
 On ne sera point surpris de la decouverte de ces divers etages de sepultures dans Tancien 
 chapitre, s'il est constant, comme le pretend D. Breard, que cet edifice subsistait au meme lieu 
 que les prece'dens, et que son aire avait ete exhaussee deux ou trois fois. 
 
 Dans Tannee 1671, qui preceda celle de cet evenement, en reparant les fondemens des murs 
 de Teglise, du cote du midi, qui deperissaient par Thumidite, on avait trouve des fondemens 
 fort epais que Ton regarda comme les restes de Fancienne eglise de Saint-Servais, construite 
 par saint Wandon, douzieme abbe de ce monastere. L'on y decouvrit aussi beaucoup de corps 
 places par etage, et dont quelques-uns etaient renfermes dans des cercueils de pieiTes 
 ma9onnees. Tous ces ossemens furent remis plus haut, presque contre la muraille dont on 
 voulnit prevenir la ruine. 
 
 L demolition du chapitre excita le mecontentement de plusieurs superieurs et de beaucoup 
 de religieux de la province. Ce fut sans doute a cette occasion que le chapitre general de 1678 
 defendit de detruire les tombeaux et autres semblables monumens sans la permission du 
 reverend pcre general. On croit aussi que ce fut par suite de la meme entreprise que D. L. 
 Hunault fut eloigne de Saint- Wandrille, en 1678. II fut alors eleve au rang de visiteur de 
 Bretagne, et mourut dans cette province en 1697, prieur de Saint-Nicolas-d'Angely. 
 
 * Saint Gerard fut tue d'lin coup de hache, pendant son sommeil, par un moine indigne de ses reraontrances. 
 
 PBINTED BY OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH. 
 
SELECTIONS FROM THE WORKS OF VARlOVS CELEBRATED BRITISH ^ 
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SrPANCRAS CHAPEL 
 
 COKTft?;sT £ 5) C H A P€ LS 
 
 BISHOP SKIHLSWS CHAPSL, YORKSWIRS 
 
ANGEL INN OXFORD 
 
I.SfAfuhaeLs Tcv/0: ?-ebicU/i Ul nSO. 2. New Parso'ia^e Ij- Jail. 4. ffas Works, 5, lim^itic" Asylum, S Ir-c7i,J/orJ:s d Ruins of 
 
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NEW CHVRCH 
 
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