, 1863-08-06
Henty Ward ~rrrs.cr ut winchester
Cathedral.
Correspondence Of tie New York Independent,
9f4f, NH

| ebe couldn't htlr that
Cathedral s''et
Correspondence Of ,:,s New York Independent
3oth u1t.1
Ordering i dinner ut the Inn, w.. strol1ed
| forth to SEE the Cathedral whatever IL might
Prove to be- Turning from the main stre.:,
| and passing through narrow way, We emerg.
ed upon the grounds in which the pile stood.
Nlde-topped, close together, full of sunlight
In their tops, and with openings through,
which fell down beams and globes Of sunlight.
Al the far end glinl1nered the unce1tain ffant
OF the cathedral, mostly leafhidden. The
fr'nt has heell restored and seems fresh aud
There il large central tu1er, out it is car
r1ed up from the roof such = little way, that
II prnduces no adequate effect. and must be
studied from some favorable point to be at Ill
| appreciated. The stone within was brought
front TIE Isle Of Wight, and is similar to the
e1r'w color. That in the castern part of the
cathedral is almost white. Thus, as entered
AID etood In the west end of the nave, the
1cDg avenue opened before me aud followed
On, growing whittier and more radiant, for
More than fire hundred feet! The columns
were neither solled nor worn They seem ~
fresh as If the workman finished them but
Yesterday. Tie pleasure OF York Minister, OF
Westminster, and, generally OF old caths-
6ro1s, Is mar!ed By the dirti1ess Of the parts,
and the waste and mutilation suftred. BIT
here everything. Ia clean, s1arp-edge6, and
perfect, though half thousand years have
:lassed Eince It wss to11cd! -
Ear in the eastern end glows window full
ef color, star in the east, whose light had
been divided BY prism, and came to us full
Of color: The transepts Of this wonderful
cathedral arc Saxon, and are between eight
hrst time, saw how majestic the Saxon ar
chltt cture might be ssuiade. Though any
single section seemed heary from its massive
Near. yet the series Of arches, rising upon one
another, produced, at length, ltghtuess aud
spirit Of grandeur In this one cathedral,
built aud rebuilt, from the very beginuicg Of
the Chrietfan era. may be found esfect spe-
cinens Of Saxon, Norman, aud English archt-
tseture, from the very beginning, through all
the gradations Of Gothic architecture, t. its
"ete BY {: noble taste and sympathy Of suc-
1essiYe architects, through several hundred
years; the whole is so Harmonious that one
can scarcely wish q single feature changed
NO language can oyerpraiEe the exquisite stone
carFlDg which abounds In this wonderful struc-
1ure. The chantrles Of Fox, Of Beaufort, of
Gardner, OF Waynefele, are superlatiyely
co, and I could hardly realize that this
hard and unp1astic stone could be
wrought BY chisel into forms moro
fine. complex. and exquisite than those
fashioned from plastic c1ay, The lea7es, ferns,
roses, geometric figures, that covered and
abounned upon these chantries, were vet so
1a1Mon,zcd as to leave no impression Of gau-
d!ness. They were quite consistent with the
place and the solemnftfes Of these sepulclers.
Bnt was most struck with the cornicine OF
ule Ae1edos. or the screen het.een the cRoir
and the eastern end o. the cathedral. It can
be compared to nothing but those exquisite
crystals that shoot ont their needles when the
fu1tace Of water first begins to freeze. I
could not believe TINT this was carved stone.
As II g1ittered In the ight that poured from
the hf1e1noon sun through the cathedral. it
seenaeu more like the tracery Of an ingenious
}tsrcil-1ike the ctchiugs on the window, iu
Nor bern windows, when the sun first ri.es
on them In the morning; and almost feared
when slant beam glittercd npon them. that
l should see the parts dissolve aud pass avayi
HOW strange to stretch my hand through
eight hundred years, to live, with a strange
akd present consciousness the sober entbusi-
anus Of ecclesiastical architects with the glow
Of modern estheticism! Wide apart By cen
furies, differing In manners und Gus oms. op-
in lel'gson, how. Jet, did feel oneness vita
these n1en Rho bui1dcd here, who uraYed ia
these chantric+, who did penancy in tigir rn-
cesets, who carried for solemn truths that
which long since the world has set aside as
fict1. y, who hsggellated themselves fur what
Etrolg cries against those things for ,yhtch.
daily, their successors thanked God! Yet. I
honoEed them! Was in RYmpatby with
them. ! felt that beyond and behind aIl
theee special manifestations there was a rrcat
humanity, In whtch I WAS related to them,
could not realize that centuries had moved
through these arches Il; that these exquisite
carvings and marvellous traoerY we're more
vent ratle than the crumb1ing ruins in other !
l''acea, hose decay imrre5ses you with dis.
Our guide was the Librarian, and he was
tnte1liecnt and well Informed, and abovo
VII all enthusiast. Step by stcp we moved
on. more and more through our senses |
released from the thral1 Of the senses. For
cur mird md soul seeu,ed radiantly projected |
from the body, md leading 1t along ffom
sboyc, rather than dwelling in it. The Or |
E;anist was preparing for the morrow's ser
vice, and like one who plays alone. be
cumlnuned ut will with one and another
theme, following the :draHlngs Of his |
t"s3e md feelings And so-with the |
western sun gushing In through plain win |
dows In long heavy easements, and through
the >ast western window in gorgeous color.
filling the tnte11ur with strange effects Of |
light and shade, Of direct and Of reflected |
light, and IN parts. with radiance Of white
uess most wonderful to teho!d-ue move on.
from chapel to shrine, and from tomb to
cbantry, from window to window, from nave
and choir to the transepts, and thence to the
Erea, crypt, Tint seemed fit haunt Of giants,
vas rs much impresse ed with this su6tcrra-
reaa portion as any other. These vast stone
circles aud arches, these massive columns
and l'rodigIous walls, how simple aud grand
[ley sta1.d, silently bearing the weight aud /
turden IT the tremendous structure above.
through eges, Interchangeable and unconscious
# their l&sdl Some such men there are ia
very generation, hidden frotu .slxht. on
~hoee penderous strength others STAND and
'hine, while they bear mp in dark solitude the |
Iast structure Of society.