The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1907-05-22
ORIGIN OF GAReoYLEs.
Stone Effisy Early Used as Roof Spout
on Cathedral Of. Rouen.


One of the earliest of the more elab-
crate attempts to transform roof spouts
seems to have been at the Cathedral of
Rouen. where the figure of a great
dragon was adopted for one of them,
though whether II was intended rs an
object Of terror to the hobgoblin fra
ternity Of the seventh century or
symbol of the church's triumph over
public foe can only be conjectmed
This fearsome wild fowl terrorized
both banks of the Seine all terribly
ravaged the city OF Rouen until he was
gallantly slain by st. Rom ms. bishop
of the cathedral there. Probably IN
sheer jubilation of spirits and in com
pliment TO the valorous bish p the car,
cass of the mischievous beast was en-
bodied in stone and set up aloft as 4
warning to all depredators and any
evil spirits by which they might be
actuated, says the London Globe. The
name given to this unlucly animal Is
said to have been gdrgoille, and hence
the name given to his ciligy, according
to some authorities.
Others, however derive the appelIa.
ton from 'garsoille." the weasnnd of
the throat, or from 'gargale." n disease
to which swine are liable ana which
causes gurgling sound in the throat.
like that which water makes in pass
ing through pipe. We are all at lib-
erty to choose a derivation, since no
body can speak with authority.
If gargouille really was the name
given to some more or less fabulous
beast whose carcass WAS initiated by
some fanciful sculptor in the making
of an ornamental spout then the prob
ability is that we have here the origin
not only of "gargoyle," but of tho
French word for the weasand. as well
as of the English words "Guggle" and
"gargle"
One ugly creature hnying been
adopted for stone etiigy Oh so famous
church as that at Rouen in the sew
cnth century may easily be conceived
to have set the fashion for other
churches. and the supertluous hldeous-
ness of so many of the5o objects Ger.
tanly supports the notion that in part
their sculptors were actuated by the
idea Of frightening the uncanny folk
from the sacred edifices and the wor-
shippers.
The dragon is the commencement Of
all forms for the gargoyle. and toward
the end Of the thirteenth century.
when the propriety OF adopting this
creature had become an old tradition
of church architecture. the form of the
monster was transformed into thing
of some approach to grace and ele-
gance. In the meantime. however, al
most every bird or quadruped Of evil
reprte and of figure that could by
any malevolent ingenuity be distorted
into something frightful has been call
ed in for the spiritual defense of the
church, and when animal shapes alone
had been made to undergo every con
tortion that could be conceived they
were combined with human figures
and faces. development which in
cvitabIy led to the later adoption OF
all sorts Of imps and demons.
Thus on many Of the finest churches
IN Christendom we find not only al
most every kind Of bird and beast, real
and legendary. but everything uncanny
Hn1 diabolical in human form. 1t
must be allowed that it showed excep-
tiOnal originality and an uncommon
power Of good nature in the nineteenth
century sculptor who. in the course of
The restoration Of Chester cathedral
about the time of the disestahllshment
Of the Irish church, capped this long
series Of ecclA'iastical embellishments
wlt'' caricature headpiece Of Mr..
Gladstone.