Year: 1873

| HaFe more appreciation OF st. PaulS than
OF any other Of our London sights More
than OF Westminster Abbey, even. For it
wants deal of history to understand the
Abbey and its puzzling chapels; and after
a certain amount Of stock-driving one
Iumbles up the kings and queens. Coming
over from Australia for six months visit
to England, one of the first things |
promised myself on landing was to see
ST. Paul's; and yet it's singular fact that
up to the very end Of my sojourn here
had never been inside your Cor may say
our? great cathedral


| felt it impossible to 90 back and face
my relations and friends it | couldn't say
that I'd seen St Paul's, and | made halt a
| dozen plans, at various times, of paving
it a visit. But first one thing interviewed,
and then another, till my last day in Eng
land had come, my pilgrimage unper-
formed Ihls last day, however, [ kept
| clear OF engagement, on purpose to see
| the place. Before | was out OF bed in the
morning J had & telegram Of Importance,
which took me of post haste to the east
ern countries; and it was eight O'Clock in
the evening before ] reached Shoredltch
station on my return journey Now was
i bound TO start early neAt morning 10
reach Brindisi in time for the Italian mail
and it thus seemed as if it were my fate to
miss my last chance Of entering St, Paul's.
Still, ! was determined not to throw away
chance; it might be that the cathedral
was still open; and l picked out a fast
looking horse from the row of hansoms,
and pade the driver put me down in the
shortest possible time at the corner Of st.
Paul's churchyard,


AS l descended from the cab, and stood
on the edge Of the pavement looking up
at the giant bulk Of the dome, the clock
struck nine The sun had set; but high
overhead the golden ball and cross stood
out against the SIX, still FURNISHED by the
evening glow. All the lower part Of the
building was III deep shadow, rendered
still darker by the thick coating of SCOT
that encased it but the upper portion,
towering clear of houses and chimneys,
and swept and sWeetened by the winds
and rains caught u CLEAN OF brightness
from the clouds above, and raised itself
white and fair into the evening sky.


The traffic of the day had slackencd :;
there We're few pedestrians, and only an
occasional cab ratified by The big ware
houses had retired from business: the
shops were shut; the city seemed to sleep.
Paurs also was closely fastened up 1t
misgave me that all should see of it
would be the outside


Bending back my neck, and gazing up
wards at the huge dome, | saw that about
the great golden cross and ball was a
tracery as Of cobWebs, and men like flies
We're crawling about those slender tilments.
Stout scaloldings and thick cables, they
We're, no doubt; but from the street they
looked like the delicate fabric of the COS
Samer


walked quickly round the church,
hoping to find some doorway open, some
access to the interior The iron gates
were all closed the doors We're fast.


Paul's portals looked as inaccessible and
, lorbidling as the rocky flank of noun
tain | was determined to find my way
in, if possible; but knew not how to set
about it. Could have come across any
thing that looked like deanery or
sacerdotal residence, should have made
bold to knock thereat and ask the oc-
cnpiers for the key But | could find
nothing Of the sort Even at q bun-shop,
which was still open, where inquired as
to the way OF getting into the church, the
people knew no more about St Paul )
!, than if it had been 4 thousand miles dis
: tant.


began to feel Respondent about the


matter, but went round the church once


more till came TO the end of the south


transept--the shorter limb of the cross,


and looked vacantly up at the tine-semi-
F circular portieo, with its tall columns and
flight Of steps All this time | never
thought of there being anybody living in


side St Paul's | should as soon have eX-
pected to meet with furnished apartments
! in the Catacombs, or a family residence il.
RI,f 1.ly
, about, | espied in the angle formed by
the nave and transept on the western side
a window from which came the faint
CLEAN OF a candle | stood, and looked


between tie railings, and saw that some
thing was moving within. There was a
bird-cage in the window; on the sill out
I side some red tiower-pots. Presently
, somebody came to a desk near the window
and began to write; an old man with


white hair


If | could only make him see me, per-
haps he would take compassion on me
and let me in. But it wasn't likely that
be should see me. Looking from the
; lighted room into the twilight outside it
! was hardly possible that he should see
, anything | thought Of tiinging Il pebble
i at the window but it was a good distance
off; | might break the glass, and be taken
into custody. gave q few Shrill whistles,
holding my fingers in my mouth; | even
, yentured on Il modified version OF an
:, Australian ''Cooee;" !" but it was of no use.
' The old man didn't turn his head.


Once again | had almost given the
thing up aud gone home, but Just then
the light disappeared from the window
and all was darkness Was the old man
off to bed, | wondered or lad he gone to
grope among the crypts below? Should
| see his light presently twinhling in those
high windows? Did he couch in some
stony gallery or find a resting place in the
,, golden ball Whilst Twas thus speculat-
ing | heard 4 door softly closed, a tootstep
on the stone staircase the iron gate at
the bottom creaked on its hinges. [
sprang forward, and met q gray-headed
old man with pallid face. who was Just
opening the iron grille.


With all the eloquence Of which | am
master 7 besought him to do me the good
office of letting me into the sacred fame
He hesitated, shook his head; at last he
relented Every WE'LL" he said, Its u
against rules; but. as YOU say its a long
way to the Antipodes I'll let you in, if
you don't mind stopping inside alone for
an hour it will be that time before re-
turn; and | must lock the door behind me.
Do you still wish to go inside p


thanked him warmly, and said: Ser
tainly, yes | was delighted at the idea of
an hour in perfect silence and seclusion
among the mighty columns and arches of
St. Paurs got under the great dome,
which hangs like a luminous cloud above,
full of hazy, uncertain shadows, a faint
circle of light trimming it round, arches
and huge piers encompassing it. From
the west n subdued crimson glow; east
wards, the choir, dark and sombre; the
windows OF the apse showing as stray
luminous patches, the altar glooming in
the distance like some funeral catatalque.
White figures cleaning here and there in
shadowy recesses. marble warriors, heroes,
statesmen


Under the dome, in the great open
space, was q vast crowd Of chairs-wooden
lush -bottomed chairs, lashed together in
| rows lOokinCr towards the east CHOOSING