This cathedral,
I think, does not profit by gloom, but requires cheerful sunshine to show
it to the best advantage. The statues and sculptures in St. Paul's are
mostly covered with years of dust, and look thereby very grim and ugly;
but there are few memories there from which I should care to brush away
the dust, they being, in nine cases out of ten, naval and military heroes
of second or third class merit. I really remember no literary celebrity
admitted solely on that account, except Dr. Johnson. The Crimean war has
supplied two or three monuments, chiefly mural tablets; and doubtless
more of the same excrescences will yet come out upon the walls. One
thing that I newly noticed was the beautiful shape of the great, covered
marble vase that serves for a font.
From St. Paul's we went down Cheapside, and, turning into King Street,
visited Guildhall, which we found in process of decoration for a public
ball, to take place next week. It looked rather gewgawish thus gorgeous,
being hung with flags of all nations, and adorned with military trophies;
and the scene was repeated by a range of looking-glasses at one end of
the room. The execrably painted windows really shocked us by their
vulgar glare, after those of the Temple Hall and Church; yet, a few years
ago, I might very likely have thought them beautiful. Our own national
banner, I must remember to say, was hanging in Guildhall, but with only
ten stars, and an insufficient number of stripes.
Pages:
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832