Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1872-10-16
The Burning Of the EsCurial.
[From the N. Y. Herald ]


81. Quentin has been destroyed by
fire. Tho scanty details furnished by
the telegraphic dispatches give rca-
son TO fear that the building has been
reduced to complete ruin, and that
the priceless treasures of art and lit
crature which were deposited in the
Escurial are lost forever The FIRE is
said to have been caused by lightning,
and there is something appalling in
the rapidity with which the grand old
monument succumbed 10 tho devour-
ing element. Among the many land
marks. which within few years have
been lost to posterity none had so
deep an interest for the thoughtful
mind as this templc-tomb of the
gloomy Spanish King. Its history is
strangely entwincd with the glory of
Spain in the days when the shadow of
her haughty flag was cast over half a
conquered world twas the creation
of grand, austero and gloomy age
aud reflected proudly the character of
its creators. How the majesty of that
stately pile, in the midst of the DESC
lation that surrounded il on all sides,
struck the beholder with awe Even
the ulgar sight-seer, wandering with
out reverence at the bidding OF an idle
curiosity, was wont TO speak In sub
dued tones 10 the mysterious twilight
of its cloisters There was about this
noble strubture such an air of maies-
tic grandeur as humbled mere human
pride 1t was impossible not to feel
how Insignificant were men in pres
encc Of the tombs of kings before
whom the world had trcmblcd But
the majestic temple frowned down on
the generation of the hour rs It had
done on their ancestors three centu-
rics before. Time seemed only to in.
crease the awo which the pile inspired,
and while all else changed and passed
away amid the shock Of ages it re.
mnined mistaken.
The loss of this monument cannot
be too deeply regretted, for it was one
of the links that bound us to the past
Under lis shadow the the n.saerns cenld
call up the remembrance of time
when men worshipped other gods
than Mammon and soulless fashion
However much the stern faith of the
sixteenth century may revolt the
modern conscience, there is an i'm
pressiveness in the whole-souled be
lief of that age which compels our ad
miration. Religion in those days wa,
something moro than formality, ant
the monuments the ages of faith hav'
left behind by their grandeur and nobl,
severity ofain dwarithe efforts of mod
ern genius. 1t is sad that these cviden
ces of the past should be doomed 4
disappear Que after another until il
the far distant future no trace of .hes
grand monuments shall remain for th
instruction aud delight Of the unborn
generations. The Tuilerics and th
Hotel de Willie have been destroyed
and il ia only few months since th
venerable Cathedral of Canterbur'
narrowly escaped from the fate tha
has befallcn the Escurial. IL is evi
dent from these examples that thcr
is no power in civilization capable G
, preventing the destruction of ancicr
, monuments, aud wc may speculate o
time when there will remain n
more trace of the art and architcctur
of the early Christian ages than W
can discover OF tho forgotten fh@n
clan civilization. Ihls is cerlain'y
: sad reflection, the more SO as u
cause Is dye in chief part to the ind
ference OF the modcrns, who take y
! adequate precautions 10 preserve th
: monumental treasures they have II
herited. Had only reasonable pr
cantions boep taken to prepare 70
such an accident as has oeiaI'en y
Escurial, that magnificent struetur
: could have been saved Tor po''er't''