Evening star., 1928-03-25
The Story of Civilization

absorb IL all in an hour. We shall never
absorb II, because we do not believe as
those men and women believed: here
! AnSelm is right. and we must believe
/ in order to understand. But at leas.
we can sit across the way and let this
west portal and facade speak to us.
| But why are the two towers so differ
| ent% 1t is the same at AmienS and
many other Gothic ShrineS: for a time
IL irritateS us; We are children. and
want identical symmetry as II to re-
duce, by half the task OF understand
ing. And here, surely. the diversity
hurts the unity OF the facade: unless
we lose ourselves in the separate beauty
OF each tower we cannot resist the
feeling that two diverse cathedrals
have coaleSced and formed hybrid. as
II animals of different species had
mated In truth the two towers speak
two languages, and come OF two times
and tastes: one was built in 1901. and
still shows the rugged simplicity of the
Norman Style-powerful elemental lines,
seeking not beauty but Sublimity; the
other came generation later. from an
other hand and Is thoroughly Gothic
and ornate-beautified with thou
sand details. patiently carved in every
inch of stone One docs not know
whether to fall down before Its love-
illness. or to turn away from it, as a
woman too carefully primped and
powdered and painted and curled, TO It's
demurrer comra6e on our right quiet
ana modest like a woman made for
motherhood.
Between the towers is the west
portal-three massive entrances. crowd
ed With statues OF a hundred saints
here through these holy men, as ST.
Augustine would say. Is the door to the
City of God. There are TOO many
statues. We feel, and because We are
not Of the faithful. loyal to hope
against every evidence, these saints
seem all alike TO us: we Go not know
their distinctive legends. and the varied
gifts which they Severslly promise 10
those who invoke their intercesSion.
they are q species TO us not individuals.
Nevertheless, let uS look closely and lei
surely: it deepenS us TO understand the
misunderstanding Of others tor do We
merely misunderstood their under
Standing?l. Here in one complex pillar
are several saints: at first we do not
like them. for saints are not to our
taste in these DAYS; we are loyal to the
earth, and deprecate otherworldlineSS:
when man is too pious we watch our
pocketbooSs. But look: Here is saint
that smiles; and this lady saint here is
fair Ia behold. surely she was not a
Stranger TO love! And this figure on the
left with curly hair and comely beard.
his piety Is not of the sort that makes
US guard our daughters: every line Of his
face Is kindly. and there is an infinite
tenderness In the eyes. Can this be
stone that so reveals the heart? Per-
maps the Somber worship OF the eariy
CHRISTIANS has become now a religion
OF Joy. fun OF sculpture and painting.
drama and poetry and music. every
color Of art woven into the harmony of
man and God?
II you think these statues monoto-
nously religious. consider the sargovlss.
Here Is population OF riotouSly laugh
able flgures. animals and men: these
gargllng Spouts for the falling rain do
not hesitate 10 Satirize the clergy. or
make friendly fun of Satan. At Rheims.
during the restoration OF the cathedral
after the war called great. a score Of
queer agures were heaped together and
photographed as group: no one look
ing at them could doubt the medieval
sense of hufnor No, il is not the
somoerness Of the cathedral statues that
arouses doubt. il is their number: here.
perhaps. the critic Of Gothic is not
without reason. and renaScent art has
fallen into adoleScent excess Seven
hundred full-size6 statues. innumerable
smaller ones: 1t is too much for the
sense or the soul TO absorb. We are
overwhelmed. and do not feel. as we
Shouldt' q beauty that Is so swamped In
number. But beyond doubt" SAYS
Huysmsns. the most beautiful sculp-
uure IN the world is IN this place.
We pass through the great portal
and stand in the nave. II Is almost
deserted. only a few broken hearted
women are here. free to love Christ
nov that their earthly loves are dead.
wandering from altar TO altar with di-
verse prayers and offerings, and with
the poets line ever In their hearts
Mary. pity women!" But once 10000
people knelt here: iordly barons in ar
NOR or silk stately women who wor-
SHIPPED the Virgin in church and then
in their chateaux held courts of love
great merchants and guildsmen. artists
and troubadours. rough peasants and
their sturdy wives. and lads that looked
al lasses as they prayed. They are gone
and that unity Of soul is gone: we are
torn into a thousand faiths. a little
harder than that one. and not much
more rational: each little group Of US
has a church for itself now. and smiles
as II secs another group passing TO an
alien and unintelligible shrine Ever
since Europe vas torn into states the
soul has been torn with doubt
Look up. Here is height: 122 feet.
but seemingly much more: for the Sc
cret Of Gothic is elevation OF height
and mind: every line points upward. as
II Turing us To the infinite. and every
vertical distance Is nagnified by subtle
delusions Of the sense. this ceiling seems
10 be the floor OF heaven You see the
pillars first. they are the one element
Of strength in this interior. and THY
are not too strong: Nth all the rein
iorcements which the buttFesseF can
bring these walls are fraii 10 hold 80
! vast roof. The Gothic architect
wishes 10 admit the light, as the srchi-
tectz OF the South wish TO exclude IL
'i1ers the sun hurts and bakeG us. here
In the North II befTiends US rith IT.
warmth. and every moment Of its u
/ Illumination Is a blessing. 50 the gin-
0cTs here are more than the wall. p,
lux facta est Let fne stained glass
j remain unseen for moment. look up
past that upper row of windows tths
clere story of clear stoFyD, which IL
lur1ineS one part Of the nave, while the
lower sindoss light the rest: follow tfle
lines 81 support ~ they curve like iis-
in2 things 70 meet ST the top. here
again. woven with elevation is unity
everything comes 10 that line st tn
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