Bacon, remarks by, 44, 197, 208 Barrow, on the contemplation of the Beveridge, Bishop, quotation from, 58 Bible, the, a celestial messenger, 94 Blood, use of, in regulating the animal Borrodale, the Pretender's Asylum at, Bowles, Rev. W. L., Lines by, on Chil- dren gathering flowers in the Ca- Boyle, Extracts from, 62, 80, 94, 99, British Army, some account of its rise British Museum, its founder, 12 British Officer, adventures of a, during Buller, Judge, anecdote of, 99 Caernarvon Castle, North Wales, 64 Canary Bird, account of the, 218 Canary, or Fortunate, Islands, 130 Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Butterfly; Caterpillars, curious tribe of, 243 Cathedrals described:-Rheims, 2- Chichester, 26-Amiens, 50-Here- ford, 74-Llandaff, 114-Orleans, 138-Salisbury, 154-Strasburgh, Cathedral Churchyard, lines written in, Chalmers, extracts from, 147, 150, 200, Chapone, Mrs., her reason for early at-! Cheerfulness, remark on, by Miss Tal- Chichester Cathedral, description of, 26 Children, their instruction in religion the first duty of a parent, 23 Cholula (in Mexico), its Pyramid, 175 Christian Charity, remark on, by Burke, Christian Virtues, the diguity of, 179 Coleridge, address of, to a Godchild, 79 Collingwood, Lord, his remarks on Conisborough Castle, Yorkshire, 45 Conscience, 71 Contentment, 58 Contrition, remark on, by Middleton, Cornwall, St. Michael's Mount, 52 Crosraquet, Abbot of, remark by, 67 Croydon Palace, its history, 63 Curfew, Inquiry into its Origin, 7 Daisy, Address to, in India, 95 Davy, Sir Humphry, extracts from, Diligence, remark on, by Dr. Johnson, Discontented, a word of advice to Discovery of Mineral Veins, 76 Dog, remarkable instance of sagacity Dover Castle, ancient Church in, 132 Early Inhabitants of Britain, remarks Earth, changes of temperature in, 108 Education, religious, its value, 44 Egg, Rum, Muck and Canna, Scottish Egotism, remark on, 53 Example and Precept, remark on, 4 trations of:- II. Indestructibility of Matter, 13 III. Divisibility of Matter, 55 IV. Heat, Temperature, Radiation, VI. Heat, Expansion, 245 Fable of the Tortoise, Frog, and the North Wind, the Sun, the Caterpillar, Chrysalis, and Butterfly, 179 the Swan and Donkey, 196 Fairy Rings, 200 Good example, remark on, by Boyle, 62 | Grass-tree, (or Black Boy), brief de- Great Numbers; I. Numbers descrip Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, anec- Habits, remarks on their influence, 91 Half-way Island, in the Indian Sea, 182 Hall, Bishop, extracts from, 4, 110, Henry, Prince of Wales, son of James I., biographical notice of, 93 Herbert, Lines by, on self-examina- Heresy, test of in the time of Henry Highlanders, attachment of, to Charles Hindoo Music, specimen of, 228 Hofwyl, account of M. Fellenberg's Hogarth, anecdote of, by Bishop Sand. Honey-Guide, description of, 112 Hood, Sir Samuel, anecdote of, 223 Ice, its beneficial effects, 149 Immortality, remark on, by Sir Hum- India, Itinerant Musicians of, 226 Isfahan, some account of the City of, 162-its Early History, 162-its Situation and Extent, 163-its In- habitants and their Religion, 165- its Commerce and Manufactures, Itinerant Musicians of India, 226 Jebb, Bishop, extract from, 247 Jesse, extracts from, 148, 159, 171, 176 Johnson, Dr., Last Days and Thoughts Jones of Nayland, remarks by, 11, Jonson, Ben, extracts from, 51, 62, 72 Lobster, remarks on the periodical Loch Leven, beautiful scenery of, 253 Louvain, the town of, described, 18 Luminous Appearance of the Sea, 204 Madagascar, island of, its history, 20 Mant, Bishop, extracts from, 44, 115, 132 Mathematics, on the study of, 196 Matter, its Indestructibility, 13—divi- Meal-hours, Remarks on the changes Mental Recreation, remarks on, 24 Mines of Great Britain, No. Ili., 76; Moderation, remarks on, by Bishop Moral Discipline, remarks on, 235 230 Naturalist's Autumnal Walk, 140 Natural History, remark on the study Natural Phenomena, Familiar Illus- XIII. Water, in its solid state, 149 XIV. Water in a fluid state, 236 Nature, remarks on, by Sir Humphry Navigation, Commerce, and Discovery, History of; Part I, 22; Part II., Needle-making, art of, when intro- Nelson, Horatio, Lord, biographical North Cape, account of, 47 Oaks, remarks on planting of, by Lord Observation, remark on by Bacon, 197 Ore, mode of working, in Mines, 223 Orleans, the Cathedral of, 138 Passions, unrestrained, their evil ef- Peasants, Himalayan, singular use of Persia, barbarous modes of Punish- Personal Property, forms to be observed in making Wills of, 18, 78, 110, 221 Petersburgh, St., some account of the City of, 210-its streets and palaces, 212-its houses, and mode of warm- ing them, 212-public buildings, 213-state of religion in, 214- principal churches of, 215-com- Philosopher, Religious, an exalted cha- Philosophy, modern literary, remark Plains and Deserts of the Globe, some Plantain, Ribwort, its uses, 56 Pool, Cardinal, anecdote of, 8 Popular Superstitions, notice of, 28, 69 Prayer, the gift and grace of, 111 Prepossessions, remark on, 224 Presence of mind in a Highlander, 58 Religion, its importance, 90 influence of, 132 its use in alleviating human Resurrection, remark on, by Sir T. Retirement, advantages of, 31 Rhinwald, Valley of, described, 29 remark on, by Bacon, 44 Sabbath, Lines on the, by C. Crocker, Salamanca, the Victory of, 5 Lines on the Poor Blind Man of, by the Rev. W. L. Sancroft, Archbishop, his opinion of Sandford, Bishop, extracts from, 67, 71 Satan's Footsteps, 200 Scotland, Highlands and Islands of, Scott, Sir Walter, extracts from, 82, Scriptures, their beauty and impres- St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall, 52 their beneficial influence, 115 | Strontian, smuggling at, 252 69 Surat, Hospital for Animals at, 115 Talbot, Miss, remark by, 13 Temple, Sir W., aphorism of, 14 Teneriffe, Island of, 130 Thankfulness for Mercies, 132 -value of, 203 verses on, by Knox, 46 Tongue, restraint of, its necessity and Tortoise, Frog, and Duck; a fable, 79 and Prejudice, remark on, Walton, Izaak, extracts from, 54, 136 Wealth, remark on, Walton, 136 Dukedom of, conferred, 238 Wild Ass of the Desert, 183 Wills, Directions for making, 18, 78, the mode of revoking, 19 Worldly Happiness, La Harpe on, 44 8 Zeal, Christian, remark on, 115 Air Volcanoes of Turbaco, 72 Armadillo, 35 Artillery-soldiers and War-machines Baldus preaching to the Natives of Benares, View of a Ghaut or Landing- Black-Gang Chine, Isle of Wight, 103 Caernarvon Castle, North Wales, 65 Cholula (in Mexico), Pyramid of, 176 Cliff, Mineral Vein in, and mode of Plant, Cultivation of the, 68, Diagrams to illustrate Experiments on Ethiopian Boar, head of, 80 Inverlochy Castle and Ben Nevis, 253 Private Palace in the Chahar Lighthouse on the Scilly Islands, 242 Machine for separating the Cotton Man in the Iron Mask, 105 Military Costume of Edward the Black of the fifteenth cen- Mine, first shaft of, 76 Natives of Madagascar preparing Bread from the Manioc Root, 21 Orleans Cathedral, in France, 137 Palm, wild, of the Desert, 145 at, 214 Reculver Church, 24 Rheims Cathedral, in France, 1 Salisbury Cathedral, 153 33 Scilly Islands, Lighthouse on, 242 Sheep-eater of Hindoostan and his Staffa, Isle of, 81 St. Dunstan's in the West, Fleet- St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall, 52 Chair, 53 Talapát Palm of Ceylon, 185 Tenby (Pembrokeshire), View of, 177 Town-hall, Louvain, 17 Tunnel of the Thames and Medway Tunny, mode of fishing for, 9 the common, and diagram of Vegetable Physiology, Illustrations of, Valley of the Rhinwald, in the Snowy UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL LITERATURE AND EDUCATION, APPOINTED BY THE SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE. THE CATHEDRAL OF RHEIMS. REIMS, or Rheims, is a large and ancient city, in the north-east of the kingdom of France, in the department of the Marne. It is situated on the right bank of the little river Vesle, in the midst of a large plain, which is bounded at a distance by a chain of low vine-covered hills. The Cathedral, which is more particularly the subject of our present notice, is a noble Gothic edifice of the twelfth century, and one of the finest specimens of that kind of architecture in France. It is said to have been founded in 818 by the Archbishop Ebon, afterwards Pope Eugenius the Fourth, in the reign of Louis the First, surnamed Le Débonnaire. The accounts which are given of the edifice then erected, its paintings and sculptures, its marbles and mosaics, its tapestries, and splendid windows, seem to indicate that it was of great importance. But doubts have been expressed, whether the early structure thus spoken of was really one occupying the site of the present Cathedral, and not the church of St. Remi. However, this building was burnt down in 1210, together with a portion of the city itself. But this disaster was soon repaired; for the age was one in which the people felt strongly the influence of religion, and contributed largely to works which had for their object its support and diffusion. Accordingly, the piety of individuals, the liberality of princes, and the zeal of the clergy, soon caused a sum to be amassed, sufficient to replace the ancient Cathedral of Rheims by a nobler and more splendid edifice; and the year after the destruction of the old building, the first stone of the new one was laid. The work proceeded with great rapidity; the altar was dedicated on the 18th of October, 1213, and twenty-seven years afterwards, the body of the church was finished; the whole time occupied in the erection being only thirty years, and but one architect being engaged throughout that period. It is to this circumstance, probably, that we are to attribute that unity of style and design which in a great measure distinguish this Cathedral. "In the richness and magnificence of the external architecture," says Mr. Woods, "Rheims is superior to every other Cathedral I have seen, and probably to any which has ever been erected." The principal, or western front is the great object of attraction; it is frequently considered as the finest work of its kind in existence, and, according to a common saying in France, is one of the four parts, the union of which is necessary to the composition of a perfect Cathedral; the other three being the spire of Chartres, the nave of Amiens, and the choir of Beauvais. The lower part of this front is divided into three porches or doorways. This arrangement, which is to be seen in some of our Cathedrals, is very generally observable in the larger religious edifices of France; and we are told that these three entrances corresponded to three internal divisions, each of which was reserved for a special use; the middle one being for the clergy, that on the right for the men, and that on the left for the women. The central porch is divided into two parts by a pilaster, (a disposition very common in France,) which is adorned by an image of the Virgin, to whom the Cathedral is consecrated. The sides of the three porches are decorated with a row of colossal statues, thirty-five in number, representing patriarchs, prophets, kings, bishops, virgins, and martyrs. The arches above and the pediments which surmount them, present an elaborate composition in sculpture, in which, according to a French writer, the artist has given full range to his genius. Our readers will obtain a correct notion of the richness and magnificence of this front. Above the porches, and a little thrown back, rises the remainder of this beautiful front. Above the central one, is the great rose window, the workmanship of which is remarkably rich, and very carefully executed. Over the right porch is a lofty opening for a window, but not filled with glass; and over the left door-way is a similar one. The space occupied by these windows is broken into three divisions, by four projecting piers, ornamented each with a statue, and terminating in small octagonal turrets. Higher still is the gallery of kings, an elegant colonnade, decorated with forty-two statues of the kings of France, from Clovis to Charles the Sixth; and this is surmounted by two towers, which complete this magnificent front. The interior of this Cathedral corresponds with its exterior. It is vast and noble; and its appearance has much that is imposing. The obscurity of the nave, contrasted with the light of the aisles, has a very curious effect; in the former, the coloured glass has been preserved, while in the latter it has very little colour. The whole length of the building is 466 feet, and its breadth upwards of 90; the height of the nave is 121 feet, and that of the aisles about 54. The plan of the edifice is a Latin cross. The choir occupies nearly one half of its length. The chancel, which is situated at the middle of the cross-aisle, raised upon several steps, is remarkable for its beautiful mosaic pavement, which formerly belonged to the church of the ancient Abbey of St. Nicaise, and was removed to the Cathedral in 1791, when that church was pulled down. The altar, which is of modern construction, is of variegated marble, and ornamented with gilt bronze. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship, and was the gift of a rich canon, who, by his economy, frugality, and above all, his peculiar skill in the cultivation of vines, was enabled to amass a considerable fortune, which he devoted entirely to the embellishment of this Cathedral, to the relief of the poor, and to the promotion of objects of a public nature. Unfortunately, the canon's liberality was scarcely equalled by his good taste and discernment; the old altar, which had existed from the earliest years of the church, was displaced in 1747, to make room for his new present, and the church was thus deprived of an extremely rare and valuable specimen of the kind of monuments used as altars in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries. Behind the choir, so called, is what the French denominate the arrière-chœur. It occupies the space usually devoted to the chancel, and does not seem to be ever used for any definite purpose. In former times, it was the depositary of the treasure of the Cathedral, of all the many rich and valuable gifts, which kings, prelates, and pious individuals of various classes and conditions, had offered as an earnest of their zeal and devotion. The immense wealth which was brought together in this treasury, rendered it one of the richest in France. It contained a vast number of works, executed in the precious metals, gold and silver vases, chalices, sets of all the various utensils employed in the service of the church, which were not less valuable for the richness of their materials than for the beauty and finish of the workmanship. Of nearly all these, however, the Cathedral was despoiled in 1791; they were confiscated by a decree of the National Assembly, and coined into money for the service of the State. The few that remained were destroyed during the revolutionary frenzy of 1793. |