Stray Thoughts On The Origin And Progress Of The Fine Arts.

The fifteenth century holds a distinguished place in history in connection with the fine arts . In the first year of that century six great masters were competitors for the honour of executing the bronze doors of the baptistry of Florence . They were named : —Ghiberti , BrunellschiLambertiDelia QuerelaYaldambrino

, , , , and Dei Colle . Ghiberti , although only a youth of twenty-three , was the successful candidate , and the work . thus assigned to him occupied forty years in execution , and is one of the greatest triumphs of modern . art . The southern door of the baptistry had handed down to posterity the name of Andrea Pisano ; the

northern and eastern doors were destined to exhibit the skill and trumpet the fame of Lorenzo Ghiberti to future generations . The northern door represents the life of our Saviour . The eastern door the principle incidents of the Old Testament history . Michael Angelo is said to have exclaimed when he first saw these doors , " They

are fit to be the gates of paradise . " Donatello was . another famous artist of this period . He worked in every variety of material . His marble statues of St . George and St . Mark , decorating the church of Or San Michele , at Florence , were greatly admired by Michael Angelowho , after gazing at themsaid c : Markwhy

, , , , -dost thou not speak to me ? " Respecting this age of art , it may be justly said that modern sculpture had now reached its manhood . A Character of faithful simplicity , - or truth to nature , is visible in most works of art from the time of Nicolo Pisano , whose own style was remarkable for sweetness and absence of pretension .

Architecture And Archæloogy.

ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? LOOGY .

. " . SPOILATIONS AND RENOVATIONS IN HEXHAM ABBEY CHURCH . One of the monks of Hexham Abbey , writing fche Saxon liistory of the church , said there was nothing to compare to ifc on this side the Alps . It was the fifth church that was built of stone in England , and was curiously and cunuiiigly contrived

throughout its foundations , ivith subterranean - chapels and winding galleries . Tho statement of the incomparable excellence of the building might bo ascribed to monkish exaggeration , but for the description of the peculiarities of the foundations proving to be correct . To this daj" the Saxon crypt , as built by the founder , Wilfred , in the seventh century , is one of the marvels of the county .

It differs from Norman and later crypts , inasmuch as it consists of several oratories and small chapels , branching out from one of large dimensions , in ivhich there are the marks of an altar at the east end , a stone bracket , and three niches in the walls . Three winding passages iu different directions form approaches to . these lonely and dark cells . Another piece of corroborative evidence has been

fortunately preserved in . the Saxon Frkl-stool , or seat of -Sanctuary , from ivhich to pluck a fugitive ivas to incur excommunication ; and the presence of riches and honours in Saxon times was brought even more vividly to conviction , when the sexton , in 1853 , dug up a large bronze vessel full of some thousands of Saxon Stycas , bearing dates of the eighth and ninth centuries .

The Saxon founder of Hexham Abbey , Wilfred , ivas ¦ created bishop , but was nofc permitted by the mouarchs of those days to perform the duties of his office iu peace . When his power was at its height—when ho was served from vessels of gold—when the sons of princes and nobles were honoured by his notice and instruction—au attempt was made to wrest t of his iscopal privileges from

par ep Mm . Finding all appeal useless , he proceeded to Rome to . lav his cause before the pontifical chair . Tho pope decided 3 . 11 his favour : as he did a second time , a few years afterwards , when Wilfred again journeyed to Rome for redress .

Ifc was probably his familiarity wifch the arts in vogue beyond the Alps that led to the splendour that was exhibited in the adornment of Hexham Church ; a surmise borne out by the old chroniclers , who affirm that the artists employed upon the structure came from Rome . After the lapse of a century and a- half , the bishopric was

merged , with that of Lindisfarne , into the see of Durham . Thus denuded of some part of its ' importance , it fell a prey to the rapacity of the Danes , who were , in the Saxon times , the scourge that the Scots were to the northern ecclesiastical edifices in the Middle Ages—they destroyed both church and monastery . Scornful of the memory of the Venerable Bedewho was first ordained deaconand afterwards

in-, , vested with the full order of priesthood within these wails , — unmindful of the memory of Aeca , the second bishop , to whom one of the extant epistles of Bede is addressed , aud who enriched the monastery with a noble library , and wifch relics of the Apostles and Martyrs , collected at great eosfc , and who was , besides , " a heavenly singer , " and one of the earliest encouragors of church music , —regardless of fche

sanctity of St . Oufchbert , who was some time bishop of Hexham , —careless of the many miracles that were reported to be performed at the different shrines , the structure was razed to the ground .

For two centuries the site remained a heap of rums piled upon the subterranean chambers that thus escaped destruction . Then , when the Early English style was just beginning to prevail in its purest severity , the present building was erected , with all excellence of workmanship , in the form of a true cross ; nave and choir being both 100 ft . long , measuring from the point of intersection wifch the

transepts . The tower , up to the parapets , was 100 ft . high ; ancl 100 lancet windows lighted the edifice . The transepts measure 157 ft ., and are 66 ft . high . The details present the same consummate elegance , lightness , and variety , the same aveadings of lancets alternating ivith panels , enriched with clustered columns , the same ornamental carvings in the spandrilsas are found afc the nine altars in Durham

, Cathedral , and in the priory churches of Briuckbourn , Lanercosfc , and Tyneniotith . The triforium is surmounted by an unusually rich and imposing clerestory of arcades resting upon arcades of clustered columns , through which runs a continuous passage round the choir ancl transepts . Eight bells still hang in the tower , attuned to the nicest harmony , bearing dates and legends .

The second destruction of Hexham ivas effected by the Scots , who , iu their ravaging marches betiveen Carlisle and Newcastle , always found Hexham Abbey a well-stored halting-place midway . In 1290 they pillaged the nionastery and set fire to the church , which last proceeding resulted in the utter annihilation of the nave—a loss that has never been restored . From that time the church has consisted of

the choir aud transepts only . The Scots , under King-David , again visited Hexham , a few days before the battle of Neville ' s Cross . They failed not to leave a trail of desolation behind them as on every previous occasion . The battle of Hexham , between the White and Red Roses , which proved so fatal to the Lancastrian cause ; and the romantic episode of Queen Margaret ' s flight with her youthful son , and guidance through the forests , and secretion in caves by a loyal robber , are also circumstances which have invested Hexham with more than common interest-.

In the period when the . Perpendicular style prevailed , a re-arrangement of the church was effected , —not a restoration ; for , instead of re-building the burnt nave , a large Lady chapel was thrown out from fche east end . Between two of fche arches of the choir a shrine to the memory of a member of the great Northumbrian family of Ogle—Robert Oglewas erected , and a stone oratory was subsequently placed

between corresponding arches on the opposite side , as a shrine for Prior Eichard . A rood-screen , richly panelled , carved . , and decorated wifch " the Dance of Death , " and oak stalls , ivere among the minor features of these improvements . Throughout all these changes the Saxon stone Fi'idtstool , or Fritlistot . il . ivas punctiliously kept near tho altar , and , although in later times it has been occasionally shifted , still it has never been removed from the choir , until the alterations that have just boon made ; not even .