or Gothic art could produce more grandly and impressively with shade alone. It is the difference between a garden and a forest. This is shown in the glorious mediæval grisaille windows, in which such art proves its absolute perfection. While I was looking at these in rapt admiration, an American friend who did not lack a certain degree of culture asked me if I did not find in them a great want of colour!
I made in York the acquaintance of a youth named Carr, son of a former high sheriff, who, by the way, showed us very great hospitality whenever we visited the city. This young man had read Labarthe and other writers on archæology, and was enthusiastic in finding relics of the olden time. He took me into a great many private houses. I visited every church, and indeed saw far more than do the great majority of even the most inquiring visitors. The Shambles was then and is still perhaps one of the most curious specimens of a small mediæval street in the world. I felt as if I could pass a life in the museum and churches, and I did, in fact, years after, remain there, very busy, for three weeks, sketching innumerable corbels, gargoyles, goblins, arches, weather-worn saints and sinners. And in the Cathedral I found the original of the maid in the garden a-hanging out the clothes. She is a fair sinner, and the blackbird is a demon volatile, who, having lighted on her shoulder, snaps her by the nose to get her soul. The motive often occurs in Gothic sculpture.
We may trace it back—vide the “Pharaohs, Fellahs, and Explorers” of Amelia B. Edwards (whom I have also met at an Oriental Congress)—to Roman Harpies and the Egyptian Ba, depicted in the “Book of the Dead” or the “Egyptian Bible.”
the end.
Footnotes:
[1] As I was very desirous of learning more about this celebrated fireplace, I inserted a request in the Public Ledger for information regarding it, which elicited the following from some one to me unknown, to whom I now return thanks:—
“Mr. City-Editor of the Public Ledger,—In your edition of this date, I notice a communication headed ‘To Local Antiquarians.’ Without any well-founded pretensions to the designation ‘Antiquarian,’ as I get older I still take a great interest in the early history of our beloved city. I remember distinctly the fact, but not the date, of reading a description of the ‘mantelpiece.’ It was of wood, handsomely carved on the pillars, and under the shelf, and on the centre between the pillars, was the following quaint and witty hieroglyphic inscription:—
When the grate is M. T. put:
When it is . putting:which is a little puzzling at first sight, but readily translated by converting the punctuation points into written words.
Senior.
“Frankford, May 24, 1892.”
I can add to this, that the chimney-piece was originally made for wood-fires, and that long after a grate was set in and the inscription added.
[13] Also given as Delaund or Dellaund in one copy. De Quincey was proud of his descent from De la Laund. I may here say that John Leyland, who is a painstaking and conscientious antiquarian and accomplished genealogist, has been much impressed with the extraordinary similarity of disposition, tastes, and pursuits which has characterised the Lelands for centuries. Any stranger knowing us would think that he and I were nearly related. It is told of the manor of Leyland that during the early Middle Ages it was attempted to build a church there in a certain place, but every morning the stones were found to be removed. Finally, it was completed, but the next dawn beheld the whole edifice removed to the other spot, while a spirit-voice was heard to call (one account says that the words were found on a mystic scroll):
“Here shall itt bee,
And here shall itt stande;
And this shall bee called:
Ye Churche of Leyland.”