arrangement, and variety of age and form: yet there, also, are three windows in the north aisle, one on each of its sides, and three on the south, one at its west end and two on its south side, for its east end opens on a chantry; and all these six windows are of two lights, except that looking north, which is a later insertion, in the Commonwealth style. In the chancel, too, are three decorated windows of two lights on the north side; and probably three, similar in that respect, would have been on the south, but for the great chantry which opens on it there. A further examination of such churches as are tolerably unaltered, particularly of the Early and Decorated styles, might show this to be a correct interpretation of the practice of the free-masonry of Durand's age. Supposing, then, three such series, as aforesaid, of this favourite number twelve, thus arranged in couplets, it is not unlikely they might have been occupied-two of the sets-with stainedglass figures of the twelve patriarchs and twelve apostles, two and two. The genius of the Numerical Cabbala would hardly make the third range representative of the twelve minor prophets, to the exclusion of the greater; nor hardly go so far as to fill the lights of the chancel, as symbolising heaven, with fancy portraits of the twelve angels, who in Mediaeval magic swayed the twelve signs of the Zodiac. In fact, one must own to the being rather at fault here: but we willingly set it down to the account of our ignorance. There is, however, in the figurative language of Scripture that connexion pointed out between the apostles and the patriarchs of the House of Israel-not taken personally, but as representatives of the tribes of that people whose destinies God still shows that he has not abandoned-that we may be willing, if it can well be done, supposing that such a Symbolism exists, to illustrate it for the million, and not leave it to the mercy of the fancy of a few. The gates of Ezekiel's New Jerusalem-Jehovah Shammah, or "Jehovah is there," are for the twelve tribes. (Chap. xlviii. 31—35.) John's Holy Jerusalem, descended from heaven, has its twelve angelguarded gates, inscribed with the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel—and its wall inscribed on the twelve foundations or bindingcourses with those of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. (Rev. xxi. 12-14.) And He who came, by making Himself the Lamb of God, to be our peace, making both one, and breaking down the middle wall of partition, (Eph. ii. 14,) himself countenanced this connexion when He said, "Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt. xix. 28.) It were not difficult, from the blessing of the patriarchs by Israel and that of the tribes by Moses, to select short passages embracing the benediction of their several names; but each accompanied by such as the following: "There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun”- "Who is like unto thee, O people, saved by the Lord?" (Deut. xxxiii. 26, 29); lest, in the contemplation of the honour laid upon men, we should forget for a moment that the honour proceedeth from God only. But it were not so easy to select passages, in point of fact, alluding to the apostles, if we would accompany their imaginary effigies with illustrations of the meaning of the picture. The name, and the name alone, would in many cases be the only scriptural designation of men, employed by the Supreme in the power of His Spirit to work out the beginning of the grandest movement that He has ever awakened for the regeneration of His creatures, and yet allowed by His wisdom to share, as to the acts of life and death, the oblivion in which multitudes of humble Christians in every age live and die. As if He were providing against any excuse for those doctrines regarding exalted spirits, which His Spirit foretold as marks of the apostacy, the Lord, as it were, buries them, like Moses, and none knoweth of their sepulchres unto this day: so that, in spite of the traditions and researches of every succeeding age, so vague is what we know, so conflicting what we read, that we are not sure, if, even in a book intended for children, Mrs. Trimmer must not be charged with a mistake, in saying, "All the apostles suffered martyrdom." A row of apostles, therefore, all accompanied by the symbols of their suffering unto death, seems by no means a pattern worthy of imitation. What shall we say, then, of their conventional likenesses, of which Durand could speak thus solemnly; and some far more absurdly, in the present day, perhaps, can follow his example: "St. Andrew had a dark complexion, long beard, moderate height: this is therefore said that ye may know how he ought to be painted, which should be known of the other apostles and saints" (vii. 38. 1.—Cited p. 62 of the publication by Neale and Webb). The least said on such a point may, perhaps, be the most expressive. One more simple extract, therefore, of the other citation on the same page, that the excursive genius of modern painters may learn to check itself: "St. Bartholomew is represented with black and grizzled hair, fair complexion, large eyes, straight nose, long beard, few grey hairs, moderate height, with a high white neck, clothed in purple, with a white pall, having purple gems at each angle.” (Dur., p. 25. 2.) Let no malignant say that the masquerade betrays an impostor, and not a real St. Bartholomew. Be it remembered, martyrs are represented in their glory; and why should not their glory consist in fine clothing? The patron saint, of course, when he appears, is for ever in the same dress. And who shall say it would be more edifying, if he would condescend to appear garbed in the simplicity of his apostolic life; for, have we no reason to suppose that Bartholomew, like Peter, could say with truth, "Silver and gold have I none;" and have we any reason to think that he, any more than Paul, "coveted any man's silver, or gold, or apparel?" Perhaps, if twelve lights were filled, and if an additional couplet window should bear the figures of Paul and Barnabas, it would not be quite irrelevant to remind us, by a scroll of their own exclamation to the idolaters of Lystra, "We, also, are men of like passions with you." Or, if the Greek, 'oporαTELÇ, can be better translated, let those translate it as they can who profess to do service to departed saints without paying them worship; and then let them show the same warrant from Scripture for that service, as for the worship of Him who was made like unto the brethren in nature and sufferings. After saying so much on the Apostle windows, it may seem hard to cut away Durand's authority from them. Yet this, it seems, must be done. Even in the version under consideration-"the apostles sent out two and two"-are represented by "two shafts in the windows" (c. i., 25); though, "taking the hint from Durandus," the writers of the Introduction say, "We may interpret this arrangement of the mission of the apostles two and two; the arrangement in question being "a series of couplets on each side of the church." (P. lxv.) The original is still further from this meaning; being, more literally, thus translated: "Windows of glass are the Scriptures of God, which repel wind and rain-that is, keep off things hurtful; and, while they transmit the brightness of the True Sun-that is, God-into the church —that is, into the hearts of the faithful-illuminate those living therein: ... but by the lattice-rails (CANCELLOS) which are before the windows (ANTE FENESTRAS), we understand prophets, or other obscure teachers of the Church Militant, in which, because of the two precepts of charity, two columns are sometimes doubled, regarding that the apostles are sent to preach, two and two." The version of B. 1, published under the title of the "Symbolism of Churches," &c., is certainly more obscure than the original, or even than the translation here given. Cancellos qui sunt ante fenestras is given, "the latticework of the windows;" by which one might understand, the leaden framework in which the panes are set: and "in which windows there are often two shafts," represents "in quibus . . . . . quandoqui duæ columnæ duplicantur;" whereas, the quibus evidently refers to cancellos-symbolising certain teachers; among whom, two of double authority-namely, two apostles-are represented by shafts or rails of double strength! The fact thus symbolised may be seen in the iron guards of two light windows. Its meaning, probably, is rather real than mystical. Such, however, was Durand's Symbolism: fanciful, but clear-if not clearly expressed. The translator's is inconsistent and confused, applying to couplets a mistranslation, which could only convey the idea of triplets. The Latin runs consecutively thus: "Per Cancellos vero, qui sunt ante fenestras, Prophetas vel alios Doctores obscuros intelligimus Ecclesiæ militantis; in quibus, ob duo charitatis præcepta, quandoqui due columnæ duplicantur," &c. The mention of the Two Precepts of Love suggests a very beautiful use which might be made of the double-light window, by inscriptions, either in ground-work or stained. On the quatrefoil above, and on the two lights below, might be-"JESUS said, Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt. xxii. 37.) Might not an opposite window bear on its quatrefoil, "GOD spake all these words; and on the two lights below, the two tables of the Ten Commandments? In transparent letters, on ground glass, or in characters of flame, on a deep azure, these "ten words" would more impressively strike the eye of the worshipper, than banished to the dark shade of the east wall of the chancel. Another position, not unfavourable for them, is afforded by the space between the roof of the nave and the chancel arch-its upper mouldings, of course. One would not recommend any "elaborate ugliness" (to speak in the language of Cambridge), "but as little a compliance, now-a-days, with the requisitions of Archbishop Grindal and Bishop Cox (cited in the "Few Words"), that they be written on fair sheets of paper, and pinned up against the hangings in the east end." This was very well pro. tem.; but caligraphy does not necessarily imply an absence of elaborate bad taste. Church-builders may dismiss this hint among the "Few Words" of the Cambridge Camden Society, whether given in earnest or in jest. The reader may have seen a print of Moses, with the tables of the law, on which the commandments were inscribed in admirable perspective indeed-but in English, and with the absurdity of the thick stone tables being made to fold together like a book. If any church-builder, or restorer, be so far bitten with the mania of antiquity as to loathe the plain waters of the pure well of English undefiled, let him pause before he puts up the Decalogue in black letter. Why not have it in Hebrew at once? It is ten times more beautiful, and twenty times more compact, than even that species of black letter which seems sometimes chosen, because least intelligible. Again as printed in our Hebrew Bibles, it has the advantage of being more "Catholic" (to use that term according to its abuse); for our tenth commandment being divided into two, our first and second are brought into one, according to the practice of the Romish Church, which finds the prohibition of idolatry rather less glaring by this arrangement. What scribes formed, even the greater divisions of the law, is doubted; and which framed these smaller ones, is still less known. The division is not of authority; though we can scarce suspect it to be borrowed, in this instance, from the Church of Rome, for many reasons, notwithstanding Rabbi Nathan adopted for his Concordance, finished in 1445, the chapters into which the Vulgate had been divided for his by Cardinal Hugo de Santo Caro, in the twelfth century. It cannot be argued that the smaller of the divisions, which are peculiarly Hebrew, were not of earlier existence; because the Cardinal did not adopt them, though in many cases more desirable than our own chapters; since his seven equal subdivisions of each chapter were retained in Taverner's English Bible of 1539, though Rabbi Nathan's work was printed at Venice sixteen years before, in 1523,* in which Nathan's own more convenient subdivision of chapters into portions of five verses was, of course, used. Froben's edition of Nathan, at Basil, in 1570, refers to the intermediate verses regularly; and Athias's edition of the Scriptures marked them with the numbers * Horne's Introduction to the Scriptures, vol. ii., p. 566. I can only quote from the second edition of this valuable work. 739 then in use. The reader may be better acquainted with this litigated question, and may know also when our own more rational division of It is certainly older than the apostolic the Decalogue came in use. times, since it is found in Philo's Book on the Decalogue. Ed. Gelen., p. 751, B. and C. But, at any rate, it appears that the crime of misdividing Scripture, to serve a purpose, cannot be substantiated against the Romanists, though the sin and folly of endeavouring to shelter idolatry, under such a pretext, may be chargeable on some of them. Their breach of a commandment, or part of a commandment (whichever they choose to term that which we charge them with breaking), is probably more plausibly justified to the consciences of most, by the reasonings which every thinking idolater must have been quieted by, and which even the Chinese have urged to our own missionaries. The mistranslation of Durand above-mentioned-" in which windows there are often two shafts," which would naturally convey to the English reader the idea of a three-light window-recalls the Symbolism affixed to the triplet as an emblem of the Trinity. Durand's silence on triplets is accounted for (p. lxv. of Introd.) by their being In such far less common in foreign, than in our own architecture. windows, whether the Norman triplet, or the early English triplet, or the three-light windows of the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, the Symbolism might in the same way be made free, as the light transmitted through them, and the "windows of glass" become literally "Scriptures of God," to use Durand's expression. Plenty of texts suggest themselves to be thus triply divided. Take, as a specimen, the appointed Blessing of Israel, in Numb. vi. 24: "The LORD The LORD make His face shine on thee bless thee and keep thee! The LORD lift up His countenance upon and be gracious unto thee! thee, and give thee peace!" Or the seraphic anthem in Isa. vi. 3: "HOLY-HOLY-HOLY;" the conclusion of the hymn succeeding in the centre light. In like manner the Benediction of the Apostle of the Gentiles, 2 Cor. xiii. 14: "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with all." The song of the four living beings in the Revelation, iv. 8, seems particularly adapted for the purpose: you HOLY-HOLY-HOLY- WHICH WAS-AND IS-AND IS TO COME. Where the Unity of the Trinity has been particularly symbolised by the throwing of a hood-moulding over the three lancets, the Divine formula of Baptism appears singularly necessary to appropriate the type: "In the NAME of the FATHER, and of the SON, and of the HOLY GHOST;" and there are cases where the first words of the form may be thrown into the traceried circle above. The triangle windows, and the intersecting triangles, and the triangularly-arranged quatrefoils, all admit of elucidation, and, as it were, illumination, by means And there are rich windows, compounded of these and similar texts. BBB 3 |