The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-05 00:00:00

conduct and language a grateful sense of the mea-
sure of justice and relief that had been conferred upon
them—the higher orders of the. Roman Catholic clergy.
had met, and published to the world their determi-
natiOn to abandon the field of politics altogether, as
utterly at variance with their duties and functions—the
repeal scheme was unthoughtof and unbroached—every-
thing wore the promise of peace, contentment, and re-
conciliation between those classes of the community
whom the Relief Bill had placed on a perfect equality.
Such is a brief, but correct sketch of Ireland's condition
on Earl Grey's assumption of power. And now, after
ten years' rule—after denouncing as an enemy to
his country, the originator of the repeal movement,
and then fraternising with him—after leading with
him for the destruction of the Irish Church, and shower
upon his hungry and worthless dependents the richest
gifts in their patronage—how or in what condition have
they left it ? Have they not succededed in rrkindling
the sense of strife and bitterness assuaged by the wis-
dom and justice of their predecessors ? Have they. not
by their ill-timed concessions flattered the vanity, minis-
tered to the pride, and added to the power of their for-
mer denouncer and present dangerous ally ?.

ST. GEORGE'S CHAPEL,
WINDSOR.

Perhaps a richer or more charming sight is not to be
met with in the three kingdoms than that which, for
many a past century, St. George's has presented on those
Sundays when its services have been attended by the
Court. Looking back on any of the reigns, in which
Royalty has attended in this Chapel, historic recollec-
tion summons up. a host of scenes which, from the rich
loveliness of their reality, look almost fair as the
dreams -of fancy. The udor-Queens and the Plan-
tagenet, as also those of Stuart and Brunswick, have
bowed at its altars, worshipped in its sanctuary,
and poured out pure devotions in its courts.
But it is not alone the title or beauty of its
visitants, which invest it with charm and romance : there
exist a number of other concomitant circumstances,
which, each and all, to the eye of the artist, intertwine
together to render the tableau most attractive to notice.
Let any visitor attend St. George's, as have we ; that is,
let them adopt the following recipe, and we will warrant
them supremacy of enjoyment, both in eye and mind.
The first requisite must be a superb Sunday summer-
morn, when the air' is a-blaze with sunbeams, and you
know before you enter the chapel, that every nook and
corner is springing with light. Requisite, too, that the
Queen with her suite, which, of course, comprehends
many pearls of beauty, be destined also to take part in
the service ; and that also, of course, the "singing-men
and singing-women" and horisters be all in array and
warble. Pay no attention, meanwhile, when in chapel,
to the delicate wood-carvings of Grinlin Gibbons, the
paintings by Verrio, or the thick-clustered rose-mul-
lions and other ornaments of the ceilings ; but examine,
while the sun is for a few seconds in nubibus, the Cruci-
fixion, in stained glass, on the great West window, or
any of the six windows on the North and South side of
the choir—rich-coloured with sacred histories. Wait
for the felicitous moment when the sun emerging lights
up the windows into emeralds and jacinths ; when the
strains of the choir harmoniously cadence ; when the
handsomeness of the Court appears fully brought out,
and the rose-rays of the sun-light streaming through
those antique windows shed so ethereal a softness of
tint over their persons and features as make them seem
• the habitants of some brighter clime. Watch for that
moment, and we warrant no theorizer on optics or.vision
can confess to one that would be lovelier. _ _

___
Truly, those glass-stained windows are magnificent.
They were begun in Richard Beauchamp's time, when
he wore the purple pall of Bishop of Salisbury, and the
skilful monks dyed every pane with that blood-red ruby
which we have now entirely lost, and the place of which
we have no colour splendid enough to supply. The chief
window which now has the greatest quantity of this old
material is the Great West Window, which is entirely filled
with ancient stained glass, gathered together from different
windows of the chapel, so that now all the piously ar-
ranged labour of Bishop Beauchamp has been made havoc
of, and caused, like the pretty pink and crimson pieces ,
of the revolving kaleidoscope, to assume with the same ma-
terial, an altogether different shape. This great variety
of single figures of saints, coats of arms, saintly and
picturesque devices, &c., which were before time figuring
everywhere, were thus put together under the direction
of Dr. Lockman, Dean of Windsor, in 1774.
From this time, however, it is sad to find that
very blameable neglect lay among those who ought to
have been the beautifiers and repairers of this fine edi-
fice; for in the year 1797; an antiquarian in going over
the chapel, and observing the faded beauty of the paint-
ings executed by the hand of Verrio, left this record be-
hind him in a book which he published shortly after, ex-
hibiting in a forcible light the scandalous neglect which
from that time to this has been allowed to exist. The
splendid colourings of the ceilings, the traceries on its
cedar-work, the frescos on its tombs, the devices on its
heraldic adornments, were suffered shamefully to go un-
repaired. " Ply it is," says he, " that this chapel, which
might be an d'Mament, should be suffered to run to ruin,
and stand a mark of public resentment; for certain it is
that since King James's reign, it has been entirely neg-
lected, though the care and repair of it is peculiar to the
Crown, being no appendage to the Collegiate church."
George the Third certainly did much towards reno-
vating the internal decays of the chapel ; but Wyaa,
who was engaged to overlook the progress of the im-
provements, unaccountably did not effect their comple-
tion. The great Western Window, which we have before
mentioned, is
.a piece of magnificence in the way of
stained glass, surpassing, perhaps, any other to be found
in Berkshire. It is fitted up, as observed, with all the
ancient painted glass of Beauchamp's time, while the
late Benjamin West was directed to draw up a design on
the subject of the crucifixion, with which it was destined
to be decorated. West was handsomely patronized by
George the-Third, and when compared with the: cus-
tomary grouping of his Scripture-painting, those designs
with which he has embellished the chapel are no un-
worthy types of his skilfulness and power. If not quite
so apocalyptic as his " Death on the White Horse"—
wild and mystic vision of John of Patmos—they have
all the significant arrangement of his " Raising La-
zarus," exhibiting the same symmetry of parts, and
=sternness of disposal. This window has for many
years past been considered to be in an unsafe con-
dition, and a bulging prominence of some inches
signified the truth of the fact. Surveys were
indeed made of it some years since, and
whispers of repair went forth, but nothing from that
time to this has been done. Now, however, the Dean
and Canons have summoned courage to restitute it out
of its crazy state ; the stone work is to be temporarily
removed, the framework rebuilt, and the glass newly
replaced. Mr. Blore superintends the work.
The other great painted window, called the East Win-
dow, represents the resurrection of our Saviour. Benja-
min West equally designed this with the foregoing, and
it was executed in painted glass by Jarvis and Forest, in
the year 1788. A window by the same artist, represent-
ing the angels appearing to our Saviour, is placed at the
east end of the south aisle. These splendid embellish-
ments are all modern, and owe their existence to the
provident care of his Majesty George the Third, who was
himself a liberal contributor to thaw, and who expended
large sums -in procuring the whole of this beautiful
structure to be thoroughly repaired, and its ornaments
restored.
In the windows on the north and south sides of the
altar, are the arms of the Knights Companions of the
Garter. The arms. of each Knight are encompassed with
the Star and Garter, and surmounted with his crest and
coronet. The George is underneath, with a blue riband
attaching it thereto, on which the name and title is in-
scribed. The Knights Companions of this Order, toge-
ther with the Dean and Chapter of Windsor and the Pre-
late and Chancellor of the Order contributed to the ex-
pense of the east window, which is said to have cost
4,0001. These last-mentioned windows, to the number of
six, are to have the dark panes of colored glass taken out
of them, and transparent painted glass substituted in-
stead, which Mons. Villemont executes.
In conclusion, we would add, that a pretty general,
but very erroneous idea exists with regard to the supe-
riority of the colours employed in ancient glass-painting
over those in use at the present day. It is believed by
many, and taken for granted by others, that not only is
the same brilliancy unattainable by modern skill, but
that the art of producing the colours themselves is itself
entirely lost. This is a very mistaken notion ; for not
only are those employed as durable and brilliant as the
colours of the ancients, but others have been added,
which they most probably did not know how to produce,
or at least did not use. Amongst these are pink, straw-
colour,ve and other compound tints. That indiscriminating
seriously
for the antique, which has so often and so
usy
interfered with the claims of modern art to the
.encouragement to which it is entitled, has operated
more force than against glass_panainatoinaginsatndans;aiotnhienrg,
art. With
.Ipveirthhapthsefully
have been lost for the t
ex-
ception, perhaps, of the
command all the resources of ancient appearsruby,whichweot
oaltyo
orsht centuries,
ldartists,
wonderfully reinforced with manyt new.eo but are
No service has of course beenp eded with, during
these alterations for many past Sundays, in the chapel.
One window was completed on Saturday last, and
judgiarforofimoiathheisd,, atshetoiothteen.gaernoefratlh
ngwhole appearance
aaprielln cwillew hdeonothhte.
less assume a more splendid appearance than before.

On Friday a spirited rowing-match
took place
pastorth of Ers-
on the Clyde, sear Erskine Ferry, between the Hon.
Lord Blantyre•and the, Rev. Mr. Stewart,
kine.parish. The principals formed part of
company in both boats, and the match, which the rowing
v
contested, attracted a great deal of interest in theasn ably
bourhood. Partly, however, from the want of experienceeigh-
as to the turns of the current in the river, the young
nobleman was as unfortunate in the boat-race as he'ovul
in the choice of a candidate at the late election for the
county. The minister and his boat's crew stepped on
shore the victors over that of- Lord Blantyre ; but the
kindest feelings were manifested on all sides, after the
health-inspiring exertions were terminated, both; by the
on-lookers and those engaged in the match—Glasgow
Argus.
AUDACIOUS THEFT.—On Sunday, as a cha-
racter well known to the police was prowling about the
North Inch, Perth, he fell in with a person lying asleep,
apparently from the effects of liquor, and finding that he
had a better suit of clothes on than his own, coolly pro-
ceeded to strip him, which he did to the shirt--habili-
tated himself with them, and left his own lying beside
the unfortunate.son of Bacchus ; who, on awaking, and
collecting his scattered senses together, no doubt felt
much surprised at the change that had taken place in his
condition. He went in a sorry plight to the police-office,
stated his complaint, and William Wood, an active officer,
succeeded in capturing the depredator the same day. He
was tried the next day, and sentenced to sixty days' im-
prisonment.
WHAT IS A BULBUL.—A lady of consider-
able pretensions to knowledge lately asked a well-known
wit what sort of a bird the bulbul was ? The wag, with
the greatest possible gravity, replied that he did not
know, unless it was the male of the cow-cow (cuckoo),