The New York herald., 1846-03-03
Grace Church.


To please the taste. allure the eyes;
But Will they sacred truths impart,
TO teach the mind amend the heart
This gorgeous structure man has made,
With costly pomP, with proud parade,
Which eager eyes delight to see
wiz God be pleased as well AZ ws7
Though the gay world is left behind.
Its bright reflection here We find
Who would not wish the world away,
When holy hours invite to prayf
These glittsring hues of colorsd light,
Attract the outward sense Of sight;
But in Gods temple, when knse
My inward guilt and woe feel.
My thoughts from what is gay turn
And leaving earth, they heaven.ward burn
then would only look within,
And asking mercy, mourn for ain.
These tnssl scenes distract the sense-
Are vain before Omnipotence.
Must faith be by illusion tried,
And Heaven unreached through human pridel
The severe snow storm Of last Saturday found me
in the afternoon, in the vicinity of Grace Church,
and entered to take a survey Of It. Some OF the
reflections elted IN my mind | embodied in the
above lines have, besides, few other remarks to
make, which will, perhaps, be better expressed In
prose.
The new Grace Church is by far the most highly
ornamented and elegantly finished edfice in the
city. On entering 1t, the first impression which one
receives is that OF gorgeous magnicence and splen
DOR arising from the richly decorated paintings in
glass. The most lavish profusion of this kind OF
decoration exists, and the effect produced by this
array OF coors, is similar to that witnessed in dis
play OF Eastern luxury and opulence; indeed, l was
strongly reminded by it Of the richness and splendor
OF some Of the Moorish palaces which have had an
opportunity OF seelng IN some OF the older parts Of
the world. The Moorish palaces, it Is we'll known,
have the entire walls of the apartments inlaid with
pieces OF porcelain, the hues and devices of which
are often superbly beautiful.
In the old Gothic Cathedrals of Europe, the color
nd win 10 Culv ad.
Junct, designed to relieve and modify the solemn I'M
pressions OF the Gothic style. The sensations of
mystery and awe inspired by the profound silence
asles and pointed arches, envened by the tinted
beams which pierce through the solemn gloom. But
in this temple, no effect OF that kind is produced
The painted glass is the principal object which
every where meets the eyes, exciting no solemnlty,
but appealing rather to ones sense Of admiration OF
what Is beautiful and brilliant; and il we did not
know better, we would suppose that the apartment
was designed more tor sumptuous banquetlng hall
than for place OF worship, and the house of God.
think that there is greater amount of painted
glass In Grace Church than is to be found in York
Minister in England, which is ten times as large
be met with in the Cathedral of Milan, or in St.
Gudules at Bruxelles, although these edlfices are
many, many times larger and more conspicuous.
The same rules and regulations Of correct and
severe taste ought to prevail In architecture as In
costume, or in any other kinds OF decoration. The
exercise OF judgment is required in the appropriation
OF ornaments and liberal and unlimited use OF
them is not consistent with what is simple, pure
and dignifed.
A meretricious kind of taste, therefore, has been
allowed to prevail in the adomments of this struc-
ture. At the same cost, instead of having toy
shop church, with wooden tower, there might
have been erected PLAIN and massive, but I'M
posing Doric edifce-smple, grand and durable,
like the Pantheon at Rome, which might have ex-
acted the homage of the present times, and OF other
ages too.
But we do not build like Agrippa, nor paint like
Apelles, for posterity.
Among the ruins of ancient Rome, there still
exist one or two arches Of the now dilapdated
Temple Of Peace. They arc perfectly plain and
unadorned, but they exhibit such an appearance OF
strength and durability. such degree of energy
and vgor in the conception and execution, that no
and respect. had rather contemplate these time
honored and mouldering arches for one hour, than
look upon the painted fneries of Grace Church tor
a whole day or month. b.