48 THE PAINTED GLASS IN

glass correspond in position with the lights and shades of the picture ; and, though many parts of the composition are strongly contrasted in colour to others, yet this is not sufficient to supj^ly the want of deeper shadows and more decided outlines, and secure the distinctness of the design, or save the painting from the imputation of being httle else than a congeries of flat spots of white and coloured glass. When, in addition to this defect, the imperfection of the figure drawing^ and want of proper perspective in the canopies are brought to mind, we are tempted to inquire what is it that renders these windows so beautiful, so infinitely more agreeable than those of modern times. It cannot be their discoloration, for modern windows that have been as much discoloured fail to please. The secret lies in the fine tone and harmony of their colouring : and, perhaps, I may venture to add in its perfect keeping with the architectural character of the building. There is not a harsh or discordant hue anywhere. The whole colouring is equally quiet and subdued, and is in entire agreement with the silvery gre}" of the white glass. It is without doubt to the excellent tone of the latter material that this satisfactory result is owing. For this same white glass, which has no modern representative,^ forms the base of all the ^ Should it be objected that most of by the glaziers' men. If sublimity is these figures possess a certain degree of aimed at, we may be sure it will not be sublimity, I would respectfully warn my reached simply by rectifying the more readers of the danger there is of engender- palpable anatomical faults of the medieval ing a false taste by recurring to such artists. models for sublimity. Nothing is more ^ As I still meet with occasional asser- true than that from the sublime to the tions to the contrary, I think it is as well ridiculous there is but a step. What can to repeat what I have constantly stated, be more absurd, for instance, than the that modern glass differs from old both mode of representing the Passage of the in tone, coloui-, and texture, and this more Red Sea by a capering figure betwixt two widely in proportion to the difference of cauhflowers; or the Plagues of Egypt by so date ; the nearest resemblance, though by many carcases, frogs aud fish, (S:c., sprawl- no means an exact one, being between ing in a plate — as in thelate M. Gereute's modern glass and that of the sixteenth window at Ely; or the Rtising of Lazams, century, and the greatest difference being by a mummy jumping up like Jack-in-the- between it aud the glass of the twelfth. Box ; or Samp.son slaying the Lion, by a thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries ; clown who, with much grimace and and further, that the attempts liitherto affected violence, caresses the royal beast; made to disguise this difference have com- as in his brother's windows at Christ- pletely failed. I am able to make this Churcli, Oxford, and the late Exhibition ; assertion moi-e positively, since it is borne or, I may add, than the cat' s-eyed saints out by certain chemical experiments which of Messrs. Pugin and Hardman I Enthu- I have caused to be instituted during the Ria-stic amateurs should recollect that they last two years, the result of which I hope, tolei-ate such tilings at the risk of being ere long, to make known through the laughed at by the very persons they em- medium of this Journal. I, of course, plciy. N ork of this description is even should not be expected to notice any now niok-named, in derision, bogie-work opinion of the writers in the Ecclesiologist