The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-19
AN INTERESTING FRENCH CITY.


Correspondence of the Sunday Journal.
PARIS, June 26.-Rouen is on the main
line from Havre to Paris about one third
of the distance from Havre 1t was, in
olden times, the capital of Normandie, and
40 such il is full of monuments and tradi-
tions of royalty. Its MEDIEVAL architecture
is. perhaps the richest in France. The
twin jewels of Rouen arc the Cathedral.
six hundred years old. and the Church
of st. Quen, founded in the four
teenth and completed in the fifteenth
century. Besides these there are q large
number of ancient Gothic churches. in all
stages of decay. belfry towers, the Pslais
de Justice. etc. The streets are narrow
and crooked. overhung by ancient houses
of most curious architecture In which the
'half-timbered" style, common In many
English towns Chester. Warwick. ect.). 10
prevalent. The stamp of antiquity is i'm
pressed upon everything save some newer
streets. which have been constructed in the
interest of convenience. but at the cost of
all that makes these old towns interesting
to the monumental traveller.
We paid repeated VISITS to the cathedral
and to ST. Quen. These are Gothic piles of
vast extent (abOur the size, roughly speak
ing. of the Indiana Capitol. Their stones,
are hOary with the decay of age. In the
richest hamboyant style their facades
seem like lace-work petrifed. Flowing
traceries. pinnacleS, flying buttresses of
marvellous complexity. statues. gargOyles
hideous but picturesque. are seen in great
prOfusiOn, and we wondered at the patience
and the skill of the monks who builded
Thus in an age of imperfect tools. The cen
trail spire of the cathedral rises to twice the
height of our soldiers monument (465 feet.
The rich open-work lantern of Sc.
Quen Is famous for its beauty.
This church has the great advantage
sufficient TO give favorable views of all it's
parts This space on fhe south and east is
comprised In beautiful garden, open to
the public. adorned by lofty trees. rich
flower beds and fountains; where one may
SIT at ease and gaze upon the impressive
pile before him; buttress rises upon hut
tress, pinnacle upon pinnacle. eliminating
in the glorious transept tower and lantern,
some three hundred feet above the earth.
On the gate which opens into this garden
is a tablet erected by the municipal au-
thOrities this current year. stating that in
this garden Jeanne Dare (spelled thus. To-
| Duration of her heresies in 1431, the prelude
to her martyrdOm. Of special interest To
us rs Americans, was mural tablet In the
| Cathedral to Robert, Cavalier de la Sale,
| Mississippi. and brought to the knowledge
| of the American savage the Christian relig-
| ion and the name of France"
To us of the new world who have so
| little Of the architectural splendOr that
| characteriZes the ecclesiastical structures
| of the old. there Is never-failing and
| solemn interest IN these ancient piles. The
vast interiors. dimly lighted through rich
| stained glass. and presenting every where
| to the eye the results of man'sskill. patience
! and revafent faith In ages past produce in
us always u feeling of reverential awe
| stanch Protestants though we are. and
| therefore ont of sympathy with the Cath
| Ollie faith and ritual. In these cathedrals
We feel. with peculiar force. that we have
| a common meeting ground with men of
| other faith, though the ground be their
| own; and differences of creed and symb Dol
! fade away in the broad essentials of re-
| ljgious faith. This feeling reaches it's
| greatest intensity when the great spaces
| are filled with worshiping multitude
| and the deep organ-blast sweeps through
| nave and aisles with the power inherent in
| solemn music. A service In ST. Quen alone
| will repay the Western traveller for his
| pilgrimage.
| Rouen is full. of course, of the memories
| of the old Norman stock that conquered
| England: of ROllo. the first Norman Duke;
| of Ceur de Lion. whose heart is buried in
| the cathedral. But the special hero of
| Rouen is Jeanne dare. Here she was
examined. tried, imprisoned and burned au
| the stake, and each spot connected with
| her tragic history Is marked by q statue or
| an inscription. y. of course, made the
| round of these places with the greatest
| interest. for Jeanne dare IL one of her
heroines: and when we left Rouen she bore
| away with her triumphantly a souvenir
| spoon whose handle was tipped with an
equestrian statue of the maid.
We make it point to row on every river
| we visit and at Rouen we had the Seine.
| Below the bridges lay ships of every kind,
beside the quays piled high with merchan-
| disc; but above the bridges commerce did
| not intrude. and we rowed for a mile or
more between verdant banks that recalled
| the Thames. the Dee and the Avon. As we
| withdrew from the city the huge cathedral
| piles rose higher and higher above the sur
| rounding mass, until they domino ted the
| scene completed as was their right. Tho
| twilight Was In harmony with their
| weather beaten hue. and added grace and
| softness TO every line. Far above nave
| and tower rose the slender open spire of
| the cathedral. The city lights cleaned
| along the quays; the moon was rising huge
| and red. as we turned our boat again TO-
| ward the distant city. and we drifted for
time enjoying the peaceful beauty of the
| scene.
| 1t is interesting to see the courage with
| which attacks the very stronghOlds of
| the new idioms. Noticing q sli yht obscur-
alton arising in recent dialogue between
| her and native. / mildly suggested that
the native spoke English also. Yes" re-
Il a