The Sun.
London, England, 1817-09-26 00:00:00

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SPiii6l7773li,Exiso:

FOR TkiE SUN.

CATHEDRAL.

Epyrsiti;H:As I hare observed that a nor•
tion of
.ythir'colutuns has-fillY been dedicated to
the consideration. of other subjects, than that of
Polities, I ant.induced.to hopa'you'will.notdeeM
the 'following retnarlts upon the repairs which this
ancientcedifieels now receiving,lnadmissable•to-a
'plaCe in yourJournl. 'lndeed, from `rihr•aCknow.
ledged taste for t he arts, trtfl t heiudgment winch youi
have. .al ways displayed writing-on every:subject
connected with them, I am convrticed that you will
not feel it-HA :rent to the fate of the many curious
remains of abtiouity which adorn thisfCathetiral;
For my-'parr; l•moat• assure y0t!,...044
• ... • • • other motivet in offering these obsetANtions,ititAn
a very sincere regret to see any memorials:of
taste and.tnechanicaLKenius. of cur une'estor's
figured and defaced, by the want of a-littleatten-
tion in those whose duty it naturally seems to pre-
„
serve7t,lieni from desti•uctioh.

It appeariahat-in the reign of Henry VIII. Chi-
chester Cathedral was thoroughly repaired by-
Bishop Shurborne, who then erected the stalls
atabeatitiful'altar•screen, and fitted up the cliolr
in its. present. splendid and, rich style.• It was •
afterwards partially repaired at the,.litst-oration,
as the injury which it sustained frnal the wanton
havoc committed by, the fanatics, when the Par- •
liamentary troops obtained possessionsof Chiches-
ter after, the short siege in 1643, was such •as to -
render it uufit fur .the performance of divine
vice; and
,subsequently:, at various; times, has
undergone partial repairs. But its mouldering
walls, and the:rapid decay of many-parts of the
interior,, had long excited the regret.of the ad-
mirers, of antiquity, when the preparations for the •
present repairs inspired diets wit... 11 the hope that
it would now be restored to its former splendour
an&tnagnificence; and more particularly, as-the
Palace had lately been repaired. and ornamented.
with, so much elegance by the venerable. and
learned Prelate of.. the Diocese,: -It was expected
that the pews which disfigure the western entrance
to the choir,,., and coyer several tombs, would be
taken away„ that the-lower range, of \vintlows itt
the detesters would Ile opened out,. aud'tbat the
brick-avork which; is seen in many parts. of the
building would be,removed. These expectations, -•
however, have
_b_er.at.disrtppnintedi and it seems
that thelahours of the .workmen are confined to
removing the beautiful paintings on the. vaulting
of the. church, and covering the pillars with art
unsightly coat of whitewash, alternately with, a
streak 9f yellow. The elegant chantry of St.
Richard,„ formerly. Bishop of Chichester, which
atawls-in the.south transept of .the Cathedral, at
the back of the stalls, has already been disfigured
in this. Manner, •as- well as several other • parts of
the church:! .
Really, Mr. El•!itar:; after the universal and pub-.
lic ..approhat;on which hat been -bestowed upon
the' exertions • of the Reverend Gentlemen who
rescued- the -church at Christchurch, •in •Hants;
from the disguis'e' of the repehted-whit•eWashings
which concealed the beauties for which it is niyur
so Much distinguished, it is difficult to conceive
how a body- of ttfen;rnany of -whose members are
remarkable for a, refined, and correct taste, could
submit to see :a Church, very celebrated for its
krandeur,'• eepaired in a 'style io • injudicious and •
imbecoming.• Ir might• reasonably have 'been
hoped, • that the-praise-worthy• example of the
neighbouring Chapter of Winchester would have -
been followed, -and -that, if •the treasury of this
-church did not permit such extensive and splendid
repairs- as 'Winchester. Cathedral has lately -
CeiVed,• that, at least, the venerable dust would
net' be' removed front this Cathedrid,‘ only to be
succeeded by'a flippant and inappropriate coloiir-
ing. ' It 'certainly would not have, been more ex-
pensive to scrape and sectir the church-, than it is
to white-wash-and paint it; and'no one. cats doubt:
ivhiCh of these' modes would produce the better
effect.

. •
As to the removal of the pewi from the western
entrance. to the choir, chat improvement, it is pre-.
sumesl, might, be effected withoutinconvenience,
.as the inhabitants have, with I laudable zeal for
the'gstablished lieligion,'aCeomplished the erec.
tion of a new 'and. very spacious Chapel,
Ciently large to accommodate the most numerous
cOogregation,.and every way adapted to the sqp-
port of rational piety. In the cloisters, tno, i( i.
stilt to', be hoped that sortie alteration .will be
made; • for not a stranger visits the Cathedral
xeithont remarking the gbiothy darknesti;of this
acres, to it ; and at present.
,the, exterior of the
beautiful window in the south transept is entirely
hid by it.

• •
k ought, perhaps, to apologize for troubling
you so ranch at length.upon this subject ; but I ,
feel myself, as an humble admirer of the " Gothic
Remains "in this conntry, interested in-the pre-
sent state of ,Chiehester Cathedral; and .as •the
workmen have not proceeded so far as to preclude
the hope, that even vet much may be saved from.
the rude and disfiguring hand of the plasterer, I
am willing to believe that some advantage may be
.derived from directing your attention, to these .re-
pairs. At the saute time 1 know, that you will
feel alileasure..io:eudeavouring.to' preserve the
grandeur of any monuments of antiquity, equal to
that felt'by

CICLSTRIJE CIVIS

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