The Argosy — page 159: what you’re looking at

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

142 Far Normandy. and west transepts. The prevalence of coloured glass adds much to the beauty and effect of the interior. The windows are so large and so numerous—one hundred and thirty-five in number—that the light, though subdued, is full and rich. The font near the west doorway is filled with water, and reflects the whole of the building in a singular and striking manner. ‘The verger called it a “discovery ” on the part of the monks of old, and considered it a sufficient atonement for all the sins they committed— if monks can be guilty of committing sins. For, once upon a time there stood a convent here, where now stands the Hotel de Ville, on the north side of the church. Four churches in succession have been built upon the present site of St. Quen, destroyed in turn by the Normans or by fire. ‘The present public garden was originally part of the monastery garden, and what is now the sacristy, or robing-room of the church, was once part of the cloisters. The verger will take you into the robing-room with the greatest pleasure, and show you the photographs he has for sale. He is a highly respectable man, perfectly dressed, and speaks admir- ably. You wonder if he is a gentleman come down in the world, or whether, on the other hand, he was born one of ‘ nature’s gentle- men.” Howeverit may be, he dignifies his office. You have every confidence in him, and when he tells you that his photographs are better than anyone else’s you believe him. You discover afterwards that many of the photographs in the town are considerably cheaper than those you bought from the sacristan ; but afraid of having your impression disturbed of this ecclesiastical admirable Crichton, you do not examine them too closely to find out whether they are also inferior. Outside the cathedral, in the north-east corner, is the only trace left of one of the former churches: a beautiful Norman apse, almost the gem of the whole building. Beyond it comes the Hotel de Ville, which was the former Benedictine Monastery of St. Ouen— the Saint having been Archbishop of Rouen in the seventh century. It contains a large public library and many richly-painted and illu- minated manuscripts of great interest. The weak portion of the Church of St. Ouen is the west front. In this it contrasts unfavourably with the cathedral; for the west front of the cathedral is perhaps its strongest point. On the other hand, the south portal of St. Ouen is scarcely to be surpassed. It is surrounded by a fringe of open trefoil arches of rare and exqui- site workmanship ; and two grained pendants, six feet long, are sus- pended from its deep vault. The reliefs over the door represent Death and the Assumption of the Virgin. Above rises the mag- nificent rose window, companion to the north rose window, which has so sad and romantic an interest; and yet above that is an arcade decorated with eleven statues. ‘The whole is crowned by a statue of St. Ouen. GoOmicsooks l a \ (E(0) m