The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-21 00:00:00

Glasgow Cathedral Windowii,

On Tuesday afternoon a meeting of the subscribers to the
Glasgow Cathedral windows was held in the choir of the
cathedral, for the purpose of handing over the series of
painted windows now completed to the First Commissioner
of her Majesty's Works. Amongst those present were the
Lord Provost and magistrates of the city, the Duke of Mon-
trose, Lord Belhaven, the Right Hon. William Cowper,
M.P., First Commissioner of her Majes'y's Works, Mr W.
Buchanan, M.P., Mr -Stirling, of Keir, M.P., Mr Peter
Blackburn, M.P., Sir Andrew Orr, Sheriff Sir Archibald
Alison, and other influential gentlemen connected with the
district. The Lord Provost having tapes the chair, Sir A
Orr read an address to the First Commissioner, setting forth
the character and extent of the work which the subscribers
had been enabled to effect. The document set out by
stating that, on the 4th of September, 1856, the subscribers
pledged themselves "to unite in promoting the adop-
tion of an harmonious plan of decoration suitable to the
character cf the building, and worthy of the purity and
dignity of its architecture." In detailing the steps taken in
the carrying out of this object, the address proceeded :
" The first painted window erected in the nave of this
church was the great west window; it was formally inaugu•
rated upon the 16th of November, 1859. The Government
window was erected in the month of Juno, 1862. Other 44
painted windows, of different sizes and proportions, consti-
tuting the whole series of 46, have been executed and placed,
the last being completed on the 3d of the present month,
Besides those examined under the direction of the commit-
'we, 36 have been placed in the Chapter-house and crypts.
The first of these arrived in this country from Dresden in
April, 1859, making, with those in the church, 81 painted
windows presented within the last eight years. Twelve
more are in course of execution, and two others have been
allocated." As to what yet remains to be done, it was sub-
mitted that the filling in of the clerestory windows with
painted glass was obviously desirable. Some progress was
sated to have been made in this direction by the generosity
of several ladies and gentlemen, and the subscribers' com-
mittee expressed their ardent hope that the object would be
accomplished. Mr Cowper, in replying to the address, sai
he had great satisfaction, in his capacity of First Commis-
sioner of her Majesty's Works, in receiving the custody of
the precious gift which the subscribers to the windows had
made to the Queen and the naticn. He went on to say,
" This is in many respects a great era in the history of
glass-painting. I cannot sufficiently commend the good
judgment of the committee in having determined that they
would put the best art that they could find in this building,
wherever they might go to seek it. Some persons might think
thet it was unpatriotic to prefer foreign art to native art, btr.
a moment's reflection will show that such an idea is entirely
without foundation. The object is to get high art, and the
best art. Now, it happens that in our own country artists
of great skill end great genius are not accustomed to employ
themselves in designing painted glass, but in Munich there
is a school of painters who have practised themselves in
fresco painting, who are well acquainted with monumental
art, and who are in close juxtaposition with a glass manu-
factory, so that with them coloured glass is not as it is with
us, mainly a manufacture, or mainly a reproduction of
minds of a former period, but it is a walk of art, a school of
art, and a production of very high and great merit. Now,
it is much better for the glass artists of our own land that
they should have put before them, as is done in this build.
examples that can be found of the excellence
at which eshhtihgehyst houldaim. It would have been no advantage
to them to put inferior glass in here, so that they could not
have risen above the level to which they have already at-
tained. (Cheers.) It is as natural that we should go to great
artists for painted glass as that the Germans should apply
to us fir great engineers to make their railroads or build
their bridges, and we might as well say that our National
Gallery should have no great Italian or Flemish paintings
as that a building which we wish to decorate as highly as
we can shall not be decorated by artists who live in foreign
countries. (Hear, hear.) We have in these windows around
us admirable drawing, dramatic effect—we have great
character, great expression—all within the limits that are
proper to glass-painting. The glass here is, as I see,
strictly mosaic glass. There is no attempt at making
transparencies, or making pictures such as would be upon
a wall or on canvass; but we see the skill and the genius
of great artists brought strictly within the rules which
make glass-painting a special branch of art." After dwell.
ing at some length on the various points of excellence
presented in the windows, Mr Cowper said that the
example that had been set in Glasgow Cathedral was one
that he was sure would be followed in many churches, not
only in Scotland, but in Eagland. Those who were pre-
paring to fill the Cathedral of St. Paul's, London, with glass
had carefully studied the Glasgow windows, and had seen
at a glance that it would not do for the cathedral of Lon-
don to be behindhand with that of Glasgow. They were
endeavouring to vie with the Glasgow glass by sending to
the same artists and to the same manufacturer for the glass
they intended to use. A vote of thanks was afterwards, on
the motion of the Duke of Montrose, accorded to the com-
mittee of subscribers, and Sir Andrew Orr, in acknowledg-
, • the compliment, stated that the committee would be
Lug ' to -mantle their labours till the filling in of the
whole of the wine'
hapy
ws of the cathedral was completed.
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ca

HOMAS I. H. THUR-
MARRIAGE OF THE HOl4. T
....au Tuesday last
dnoter of his
LOW AND LADY ELMA BRUCE.
the nuptials of the Lady Elms Bruce,
Excellency the late Earl of Elgin, Viceroy of India, with
the Hon. Thcs. J. H. Thurlow, brother of Lord Thurlow,
took place at St. John's Episcopal Chapel at Forres, N.B.
It was understood that the wedding was to be conducted in
a very quiet manner, but owing to the fair bride being a
great favourite in Morayshire, and the respect entertained
for her father, more than the usual interest was manifested
by the inhabitants. The church was crowded to excess
before the arrival of the wedding party. The bride was
attended to the altar by Miss (Jordon Cumming, Miss Nisbet
Hamilton, Miss Louise Forbes, and Miss Oswald (of Dun.
nikier), as bridesmaids ; and Lord Thurlow officiated as
groomsman to his brother. The Right Rov. the Bishop of
Biechin (cousin of the bride), assisted by-the Rev. E. Ii
Owen, performed the nuptial rite. Tho bride was given
away by Major Cumming 1\1.13., her maternal grand
father. Among the company present at the solemnisation
of the marriage were the Right lion. It. A. and Lab, Mary
Nisbet-Hamilton, the lion. Sir F. Bruce, Hon.
Thomas and Mrs Bruce, Hon. Robert Bruce, Hon. Fred.
Bruce, Mr and Lady Lucy Grant, HA. George and Mrs
Grant, Sir A. Dunbar, Captain and Miss Dunbar, Sir Alex.
and Lady Gordon-Cumming and Misa B. C. Gordon-
Cumming, Kir and Mrs Dunbar-Dunbar, r and Mrs
Cumming-Bruce, &c. On leaving the chapel fMor Dunphail
House the happy couple were loudly cheered by the admir-
ing crowd assembled to witness their departure. Later in
the afternoon the hon. gentleman and Lady Elma Thurlow
left for Gordonstown House, the seat of Sir Alex. Gordon
Cumming, Bart., for the honeymoon. There were great
rejoicings at Forres on the part of Major Cumming's ten-
antry and of the inhabitants, in celebration of the auspicious
event, which was of much local interest.