Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1885-11-08

eiuo; 80 oic Ohu uiSn piencnts mOst
impressive front. This place, by the
way, was originally the church yard In
the center oft stands very fine colossal
statue arc pANed scrolls and books, with
pursuits of the master as a di-
plomatist and statesman, as well as
painter. As we wended our way into
the church our attention was called to a
brown stone square in the pavement,
Immediately at the entrance. We were
told that it marked the spot where some
poor fellow had struck after tumbling
from the top of one of the towers. The
crowd standing around looked solemn, as
became the place, so we passed on. The
cathedral is a most beautiful Gothic
church, and dates from about the middle
of the fourteenth century. The exterior
is shamefully disigured by mean looking
houses clustered around it, but the Bel
gians will allow them to remain, as | have
remarked before, everything old and
dirty being dear to their souls. One of
the towers is very skillfully finished in
the Flamboyant style The other was
left unfinished about 400 years ago. As
| stood and gazed far up at those simple
and grand achievements in architecture
my mind reverted to the historic past,
that past so like the richness of chancel
window, through which the light of
other days shines warm and subdued.
pondered on the various phases of life
those gray walls had looked upon. With
what cold and callous eyes they had
witnessed the downfall of greatness, the
utter aunihilation of peace and the surg
ing. OF bloody wars around their base.
This ediace, in its coldness, reminded me
of those mammoth cuttings of Egypt,
the Sphinx for example But to come
back to my thread, for / know you dis
like digressions. The interior is most
majestic. The vaulting is supported by
125 massive pillars, divided into three
aisles, most rich in perspective. 1t is
here hanging against the wall on either
side of the chancel that Rubens's master
pieces, The Descent from the Cross,
upon the right, and the Elevation of
placed since 1850, when they were re-
stored. The former is far superior
to the latter in drawing, color and COM
position. In the latter the master has
shown his strength in the exaggeration
of the muscles aud sinews of the human
form. 1t is plain to be seen that in this
picture he has given you his mastery
knowledge of anatomy; whereas, in the
other and greater, he has subordinated
everything else to sentiment and color
Two of the three Maries are full of
sweetness and grace, totally unlike his
women generally, who are grossly volup-
tuous. The face of joseph of Arima-
ithaca is rather fiabby and inane, but
such defects do not interfere with the
composition, which is mastery. The
figures are most judiciously placed, and
that of Christ is especially fine, showing
the thorough inertness Of dead body
The harmonious color of the whole,
with its charming sentiment, make this
painting probably the best evidence of
Rubens's great power. After spending
two or three hours before these great
paintings we wandered around among the
pillars, looking first at this bit of old
woodcarving decorating the confessional
boxes, then at that glory of stained glass
ranging down the sides of the church,
examining even the filthy ring around
each pillar. We found so much to inter
est and study, so much more than we
had time to give to it. Finally, walking
into the street once more, our little guide
proposed to pilot us to
THE MUsEE PLANTIN- -MoRETUs,
one of the most interesting in the city
at least, that is what we gathered from
his mixture of French and English, both
equally bad aud both with a Flemish ac-
cent. This charming house is very little
known by tourists, although the many
guide books do it justice. 1t is, or
should be, especially fascinating to
painters and printers. The Musee is
established in the house of the cele-
brated printer, Christopher Plantin, who
set up shop here in the middle of the
sixteenth century. The business of
printing and book-selling was carried on
in this heading from then down to the
present day-at first by Plantin. and
later on, by the family of his son-in-l law,
Moretus. The hause is rich il antique
furniture, tapestry, paintings and other
collections, and is a fine example of the
home and contiguous business house of a
Flemish patrician of the end of the SIX
the office the musty old ledger and other
account books, shelved Just as they were
years and years ago the inkGtani. with
its quill ana tiny box Of sand, and all in
an atmosphere of sweet pathos. In
the proof readers room loose proof
sheets are lying around with an abandon
as II JuSV 'S1I IVt SOllSStAOhy oolut par
tally corrected, others awaiting. So on
through oak-paneled rooms, beautifully
carved, we wandered into the grand din
ing hall, with its great open FIRE place
and lovely old cabinets into bedrooms
warmly hung with tapestries, and snug
little closets let into the corners. All Of
these rooms are overfiowing with art
gems-portraits by Rubens, Van Dyck
j hall lc
are strung with superb engravings on the
walls and in cases running down the mid
die. The enGraYinCs IL the cases and
generally upon the wall are accompanied
by the copper-plate of each, so that one
can follow out the lines conformity in
both, which doubles the interest In
the type-room We lind old matrices and
all sorts and sizes of tools for making
type thrown down, scattered by the care
less hand of the workman gone to his
side, with the cinders uudisturbed, wait
ing the return of the smitby. The com
posing-room, with its substantial and
quaint old cases and sticks, was SO full
Of interest we spent hours there and yet
did not digest one-half. The manage
ment of the Musee is admirable-one is
allowed to wander at will and without
being followed by an attendant, and re-
main as long as he cares to. 1t is the
most charming spot for lettering In Ant
werp, and | dare say there are not many
places like it on the continent.
NEIL NJ. KEATING.
IN MANS ATTIRE.
A woman's Dual Life for Fifteen Y ears