In the chancel of this church there are more
painted windows, which I take to be modern, too, though they are in much
better taste, and have an infinitely better effect, than Sir Joshua's.
At any rate, with the sunshine through them, they looked very beautiful,
and tinted the high altar and the pavement with brilliant lines.
The sacristan opened a tall and narrow little recess in the wall of the
chancel, and showed it entirely filled with the crosier of William of
Wickham. It appears to be made of silver gilt, and is a most rich and
elaborate relic, at least six feet high. Modern art cannot, or does not,
equal the chasing and carving of this splendid crosier, which is enriched
with figures of saints and, apostles, and various Gothic devices,--very
minute, but all executed as faithfully as if the artist's salvation had
depended upon every notch he made in the silver. . . . .
Leaving New College, Bennoch and I, under Mr. Parker's guidance, walked
round Christ Church meadows, part of our way lying along the banks of the
Cherwell, which unites with the Isis to form the Thames, I believe. The
Cherwell is a narrow and remarkably sluggish stream; but is deep in
spots, and capriciously so,--so that a person may easily step from
knee-deep to fifteen feet in depth. A gentleman present used a queer
expression in reference to the drowning of two college men; he said "it
was an awkward affair." I think this is equal to Longfellow's story of
the Frenchman who avowed himself very much "displeased" at the news of
his father's death.
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