Stained Glass.

to be readily understood . This was effected in a variety of ways through the agency of painting and sculpture—but to painting principally must we look for the more perfect carrying out of this intention . The imitative art was thus supposed to perform , in our relig ious edifices , the combined offices of preacher and moralist , offering sermons for morality , ancl

examples for edification . They thought that by such material objects , the weakest intellect and the feeblest intelligence could comprehend the truth . Although I do not agree with the theory of these fathers of the early Christian church with reference to the beneficial effects to be derived from the material embodiment of these

subjects—believing that the gospel plainly preached iu the ulgar tongue is quite sufficient for the most illiterate—yet there have been many able defences made for the ancient practice , which are worth attention . John Damascenes , who lived in the year 700 , contends that images are not mute . " They speak" says he" they are not lifeless blockslike the

, , , idols of the Pagans . Every painting that meets our gaze in a church , relates , as if in words , the humiliation of Christ for his people , the miracles of the Mother of God , and the deeds and conflicts of his saints . Images open the heart and awaken the intellect , and , in a marvellous and indescribable manner , engage us to imitate the persons they represent . "

Writers of every age bear witness that this idea , ancl this idea only , prompted the execution and arrangement of the statues and figures which crowd the continental churches , and which , I may be pardoned for saying , disfigured our own up to the time of puritanical Cromwell , under whose authority the sacred buildings were not only purged of these remnants of the papacy , but defiled by base and unworthy usage .

In the seventh century , Benedict Biscop , abbot of Wearmouth , brought over some valuable paintings from Italy , with which lie decorated his church . They were for the purpose of stimulating the spectator to meditate upon the divine incarnation , the last judgment , and the duty of selfexamination . It was even thought necessary to have allegorical paintingsby whicli the priests themselves should

, be stirred up to their cluty , and be reminded of their holy calling , and of the h . 6 \ y men who had faithfully fulfilled their duties therein . Thus in the eleventh century , Bishop Geoffrey caused fresco portraits of holy men to be painted on the walls of his chancel , to divert the eyes of the officiating priests from profane objects , ancl to prevent their being overcome

by weakness and fatigue . St . Pauiinus gives us another reason for the adoption of stained glass and sculptures , ancl more especially for those wherewith ho decorated his own church , dedicated to St . Felix . He says : — " Among the crowds attracted hither by the fame of St . Felix , there are peasants recently converted

who had long been the slaves of profane usages , ancl had obeyed their senses as gods . They arrive here from far , pass the entire night in . joyous watchings , drive away slumber by gaiety , and darkness by torches . They mingle festivities with prayers , and after singing hymns to God , abandon themselves to good cheer , and joyously stain the tombs of fche saints wifch odoriferous wine . "

Such was the conduct of those ignorant converts to Christianity—conduct certainly not savouring of that gospel to which it is said they were converted . Their conversion being made upon a wrong principle , another wrong act was required to keep them up to the mark , and prevent them , through their , drunken unchristian lips , "insulting St . Felix " —nofc God , but St . Felix . And to effect this St . Pauiinus

says : — "I have therefore thought it expedient to enliven with paintings the entire habitation of the holy saint . Images thus traced ancl coloured will perhaps inspire those rude minds with astonishment . . Inscriptions are placed above the pictures , in order that the letter may explain what the hand has depicted . " Iu an earlier portion of his writings -he contends that paintings are-necessary to-teach the truth-to

the illiterate , that they may con template in fche lineaments of painting , what they could not discern in writing ; but iu this remark he demolishes his whole theory . "" . „ "While showing them to each other , " says he , " ancl reading thus by turns these p ictured objects , they do not think of eating till later than before ; their eyes aid them to endure fasting . Painting beguiles their hunger , better habits govern these wondering

men , and , studying these holy histories , charity and virtue are engendered by such examples of piety . These sober gazers are intoxicated with excitement , though , they have ceased to indulge in wine . A great part of their time beingspent in looking at these pictures ( not by tlie way in hearing doctrinal points clearly put by the priest ) they drink much

less , for there remain but a few short minutes for their repast . " This is the strangest ajiology for the presence of paintings in churches , that I have read—surely we may commend it to those of our temperance friends who wish the National Gallery opened on Sunday ; they will see at all events that

the idea they have of picture gazing stopping intemperance is not altogether a new one , and indeed it has been said there is nothing new under the sun , though there may be a slight difference in tlie intention and working of tlie two theories , both of which are , to mv mind , fallacious .

In every cathedral we find remains of stained glass , but liistory in stone , by a series of figures , is not so easily to be met with . The most perfect is that in Chart-res Cathedral , where the whole liistory of creation and of man is depicted in nearly 1 , 500 figures , most of which are at present in good preservation . Vincent cle Beauvais describes this example with the greatest accuracy , ancl at considerable lengthbut

, the shortness of the time at my disposal will not allow me further to allude to it ; I shall therefore pass on at once to the subject matter of this paper , and glance , though but briefly , at some of the attributes by which the three persons oi the Trinity are characterised in ancient manuscripts ancl stained glass .

The most distinguishing feature in Christian iconography is that of the nimbus which surrounds the head of divinity , and the aureola in which occasionally we find the body contained . Both are called by some the glory , but one of the best of the French writers on Christian archeology confines the latter term to an union of the nimbus and aureola , as will hereafter be alluded to .

It is a very common error on the part of artists to misapply this glory , through want of care with some and through ignorance with others . It is customary to attach the nimbus to the head of the three persons of the Trinity only , with certain peculiarities in the field of the nimbus , and to the Virgin Mary , apostles , & c , without those peculiarities . It

is sometimes given to the personification of the virtues , but very seldom indeed to other allegorical figures , whether of natural or psychological subjects . The allegorical personages to whom our Saviour in his jjarables gave a sort of rational existence are adorned with the nimbus—suchfor exampleas the wise and foolish

, , virgins . The theological virtues , faith , hope , and charity , as well as the four cardinal virtues , temperance , strength , prudence , and justice , are also sometimes represented with a nimbus .

Artists , however , sometimes give to one of tlie three persons of the Trinity a nimbus belonging to mortals ; and it has often occurred that a bishop or other hi gh ecclesiastic has been adorned with a nimbus that , were it not for a better knowledge of the facts , would rank him as a god . In illustration of this , we may mention that some fifteen years

since a painting on glass was exhibited , representing Christ and some of the saints of the . Romish calendar . One of tlie canonized figures was painted with a cruciform nimbus , while the figure of the Deity was not in that , way distinguished fern that of . an ordinary mortai .