The Argosy — page 157: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

140 Far Normandy. uninteresting, Rue de la République, turning into the small side street of the Rue Damiette, and so on to the Place Eau de Robec—which, by the way, is close to the street of that name, where runs the small river with the quaint gangways giving access to the houses—we suddenly saw rising before us, high in the air, an exquisite, airy, fairy- like tower. It looked at the first moment more a vision or a dream than a reality ; more a beautiful piece of fretwork suspended from . the skies, than a building of earth. It was a perfect Gothic tower, nearly three hundred feet high, ending in an octagonal open-work lantern which has been called the Crown of Normandy; and seems worthy of its name. As we drew near, the whole building stood disclosed, a perfect Gothic edifice, and one of the most striking in existence. It has the advantage of being better placed than the cathedral, so that a far better general view may be obtained of it. On the other hand, the lovely gabled houses and old-world surroundings that add so much to the charm and romantic effect of the cathedral are here wanting. Near the cathedral for instance, you gaze down a narrow street, rich in quaint gables and outlines, dormer windows, and latticed panes; and the extremity of the street is closed in by an exquisite south doorway, rich in sculptured and crumbling decoration, above which the towers rise majestically on either side. It is a matchless effect and view. The pure and clear blue sky above is scarcely needed to make it almost celestial. Nothing of this sort is found in the neighbourhood of St. Ouen ; but the building itself is quite independent of all accessories. ‘The whole exterior is distinguished by lightness and grace ; an effect much increased by the open arches and tracery of the octagon, and the small flying buttresses that reach to the turrets in the angles. The crown terminating the octagon consists of fleurs-de-lys : a symbol also carried out in the tracery of the windows and in the painted glass. The interior is as beautiful, as light and graceful as the exterior. It is Of immense size: four hundred and forty-three feet long, eighty- three feet wide, and one hundred and four feet high. The view look- ing downwards from the west doorway is almost sublime in its unin- terrupted perfection, and no superfluous ecclesiastical ornamentation in the shape of screens or gates or divisions disturbs the view. It is full of calmness and repose. ‘The choir has double aisles, and the nave has no side chapels. The front pillars run up to the roof ; the side pillars bend under the arches. The clerestory is unusually large and lofty, adding to the effect of lightness, which again is increased by the number and size of the windows. Standing in certain positions, the solid portions of the walls are lost, and the cathedral appears to be composed of nothing but window and tracery. ‘The four central pillars supporting the tower are of extreme beauty. Most of the windows are filled-in with coloured glass, including the beautiful rose windows in the north, south €om | a» \ 21 0)(0)(0)| KS,((6)