The Newark journal. (Newark, Ark.) 1901-1959, 1919-09-11

II T IS more than 90 years since /
first saw that mighty Palace of the
81 Popes at AvgHoH which Freissart
called 'the finest and strongest
house in the world and the most i'm
Por'aut occurrence in that period.
from the point Of view OF the architect
and the historian, is that in 1867 the
huge building was at last relieved from
its dangerous task of sheltering sol
diers, who cared rs little for lis beauty
rs for its associations. writes Theodore
Andrea Cook in Country Life. It was.
perhaps, better TO be the barracks of
regiment than TO be a prison like Tar
ascon, or Il disintegrating ruin like
Beaueaife. But none of these three
glorious relics of Provencal history de-
served 50 ignominious fate, and the
department of historic monuments
earned the thanks of every scholar by
its change of policy toward these
splendid castles of the stored Rhone.
One Invaluable result of clearing the
Palace of Ayignon has been that fol
the first time it is possible to compare
the actual constructions of this eX-
traOrdinary building with the records
preserved in the Vatican and investi-
gated by Eugene Muntz, Maurice Eau
con and L. Ehrle. This comparison
was carried on by Felix Digonnet, the
learned guardian of the museum at
Avignon, and when again the continent
is free ground for the curious traveller
I hope that visitors Will be able not
only 20 see the whole Of the palace,
but 10 understand the original inten-
ton Of its builders and TO realize the
skill and care with which all the an
Gent masonry is being preserved or
reproduced after the century of de-
Placement and neglect which followed
the most deliberate vandalism of the
Revolution.
ceior and Massiveness.
The vast and deserted esplanade in
front of this giant block of masonry
is fitting framework to so massive a
memorial of dead majesty, and the
different as possible from anything
Won have passed on your way through
the modern town from the railway
station of the republic. The exquisite
color Of the pale gold masonry-"teinte
uniforme de feullle seche." said Henri
Beylc-is one of the loveiest attributes
of the buildings of Provence, as it is
of our own Dorsetshire houses; but it
Is the titanic strength and elemental
pride of this enormous building which
first impress themselves on the be-
holder who stands before its ruined
western entrance gate. The huge and
bony carcass of somoe creature of the
prime. fossllized in bygone ages Of the
world and couchant still within its
ancient lair. seems brooding like some
monstrouS menace over the Valley of
the Rhone. Ruined and mutilated, as
IL is. of all it's former splendor. this
cliff Of cut stone stands stupendous
above tie petty highways of our small
er life
The octagonal turret jutting from
the tower Immediately on your left
of the main entrance preserves, in its
name OF 1.-THE White Cardinal" the
memory of that humbly born Cister-
clan monk who, in December, 1885, as
sumed the title of Benedict MI, and
really began the foundation of the
palace as we see it. Two-thirds of
the whole, at any rate, he planned;
and his is the portion that is the sim
plest and strongest of 1t all.
No marble was used anywhere in the
palace. which was wholly of French
workmanship and Provcncal design,
with the square towers which mainly
,Iifferenfiate that school from the
round-towered style OF the French
kings which is so massively exhibited
in the contemporary Fort st. Andre
Just across the river. The deeply
carved manifestations, still to be seen
here and there ane originally placed
on every tower and wall, had only just
been introduced by the. end of the
fourteenth century. Those on the
great facade are the largest In the
world, sometimes two yards in length
by Is inches deep, sufficient to hurl
down timbers that could sweep
dozen storning ladders Off the wall or
crush whole company OF snppers.
The only luxury observable In the
ralacc was to be found Ia Its interior