BEAUTIFUL ARCH.
One of the rarities of architecture is the beautiful arch in the choir of Cannistown Church, not far from Bective, near Trim, in Ireland. Down to the very latest period of Gothic architecture, the original plan of a simple nave, or nave and chancel, was followed, and the chief or only difference observable in churches of very late date, from those of the sixth and seventh centuries, consists in the form of the arch-heads, the position of the doorway, the style of the masonry, which is usually much better in the more ancient examples, and the use of bell-turrets, the cloigeteach, or detached round tower, having answered this purpose during the earlier ages. A beautiful and highly characteristic example of an early pointed church is that at Cannistown. As usual, it consists of a nave and chancel, and there are the remains of a bell-turret upon the west gable, the usual position. The choir arch is represented in the annexed cut.
There are numerous examples of churches of this style scattered over Ireland, but they are usually plain, and the choir arch is generally the plainest feature in the building. As example, we can refer our readers to the churches of Kilbarrack, Dalkey, Kinsale, and Rathmichael, all in the immediate neighbourhood of Dublin.
THOMAS CONECTE.
There was a Carmelite friar, Thomas Conecte, who, previous to his being burnt as a heretic at Rome, in 1434, excited the admiration of all Flanders by his vehement sermons against the luxury of the women. His satire was chiefly levelled against their head-dresses, which rose to so enormous a height, that the most exalted head-dresses of a late day were but dwarfs to them. Juvenal des Ursins, who lived at that period, declares that, notwithstanding the troubles of the times, the maidens and married ladies rose to prodigious excess in their attire, and wore hair of a surprising height and breadth, having on each side two ears of so unaccountable a size, that it was impossible for them to pass through a door. Their dresses were the hennins of Flanders, which the worthy Carmelite was so inveterate against. He made them dress themselves in a more modest manner. But, alas no sooner had Friar Thomas left the country than the head-dresses shot up to a greater height than ever. They had only bowed their heads like bullrushes during the storm. Poor Thomas attacked the infallible church itself, and they, in default of better arguments, burnt him.
CURIOUS COINCIDENCES.
On the 21st of April, 1770, Lewis XVI. was married.
21st of June, 1770, fifteen hundred people were trampled to death at the fête.