,transcriber's note3 ,all efforts have been made to reproduce this book as printed4 ,besides the obvious typographical errors1 no attempt has been made to correct or equalize the punctuation or spelling of the ,english or the ,french of the original book4 ,illustration ,illustration ,,the ,,cathedrals ,,of ,,southern ,,france ,the ,cathedral ,series ,the following1 each #a vol41 library #abmo1 cloth1 gilt top1 profusely illustrated4 #b4ej ,the ,cathedrals of ,northern ,france ,,by ,,francis ,,miltoun ,the ,cathedrals of ,southern ,france ,,by ,,francis ,,miltoun ,the ,cathedrals of ,england ,,by ,,mary ,j4 ,,taber ,the following1 each #a vol41 library #abmo1 cloth1 gilt top1 profusely illustrated4 ,net1 #b4jj ,the ,cathedrals and ,churches of the ,rhine ,,by ,,francis ,,miltoun ,the ,cathedrals of ,northern ,spain ,,by ,,charles ,,rudy ,l4 ,c4 ,,page ,,company ,new ,england ,building1 ,boston1 ,mass4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,andr 444 de ,,bordeaux ,,the ,,cathedrals ,,of ,,southern ,,france ,by ,,francis ,,miltoun ,,author ,,of ,,the ,,cathedrals ,,of ,,northern ,,france1 ,,dickens' ,,london1 ,,etc41 ,,with ,,ninety ,,illustrations1 ,,plans1 ,,and ,,diagrams1 ,by ,,blanche ,mc,m,a,n,u,s ,illustration ,,boston ,l4 ,c4 ,page and ,company ,,mdccccv ,copyright1 #aijd ,,by ,l4 ,c4 ,,page ,,company 7,,incorporated7 ,all rights reserved ,published ,august1 #aijd ,third ,impression ,colonial ,press ,electrotyped and ,printed by ,c4 ,h4 ,simonds ,co4 ,boston1 ,mass41 ,u4 ,s4 ,a4 ,,contents ,,page ,introduction #aa ,,part ,i4 ,,southern ,,france ,,in ,,general ,i4 ,the ,charm of ,southern ,france #bc ,,ii4 ,the ,church in ,gaul #cd ,,iii4 ,the ,church ,architecture of ,southern ,france #ej ,,part ,,ii4 ,,south ,,of ,,the ,,loire ,i4 ,introductory #ga ,,ii4 ,l',abbaye de ,maillezais #ha ,,iii4 ,st4 ,louis de la ,rochelle #hb ,,iv4 ,cathdrale de ,luon #he ,v4 ,st4 ,front de ,prigueux #hg ,,vi4 ,st4 ,pierre de ,poitiers #ib ,,vii4 ,st4 ,etienne de ,limoges #ajd ,,viii4 ,st4 ,odilon de ,st4 ,flour #aab ,,ix4 ,st4 ,pierre de ,saintes #aae ,x4 ,cathdrale de ,tulle #aah ,,xi4 ,st4 ,pierre d',angoulme #abj ,,xii4 ,notre ,dame de ,moulins #abf ,,xiii4 ,notre ,dame de le ,puy #acd ,,xiv4 ,notre ,dame de ,clermont-,ferrand #add ,,xv4 ,st4 ,fulcran de ,lodve #aeb ,,part ,,iii4 ,,the ,,rhone ,,valley ,i4 ,introductory #aei ,,ii4 ,st4 ,etienne de ,chalons-sur-,sane #agj ,,iii4 ,st4 ,vincent de ,macon #agd ,,iv4 ,st4 ,jean de ,lyon #agg ,v4 ,st4 ,maurice de ,vienne #ahf ,,vi4 ,st4 ,apollinaire de ,valence #aij ,,vii4 ,cathdrale de ,viviers #aie ,,viii4 ,notre ,dame d',orange #aig ,,ix4 ,st4 ,vran de ,cavaillon #bjj ,x4 ,notre ,dame des ,doms d',avignon #bjd ,,xi4 ,st4 ,siffrein de ,carpentras #bba ,,xii4 ,cathdrale de ,vaison #bbf ,,xiii4 ,st4 ,trophime d',arles #bbh ,,xiv4 ,st4 ,castor de ,nmes #bcf ,,xv4 ,st4 ,thodorit d',uzs #bde ,,xvi4 ,st4 ,jean d',alais #bdi ,,xvii4 ,st4 ,pierre d',annecy #beb ,,xviii4 ,cathdrale de ,chambry #bee ,,xix4 ,notre ,dame de ,grenoble #beh ,,xx4 ,belley and ,aoste #bfg ,,xxi4 ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne #bfi ,,xxii4 ,st4 ,pierre de ,st4 ,claude #bgb ,,xxiii4 ,notre ,dame de ,bourg #bgg ,,xxiv4 ,glandve1 ,senez1 ,riez1 ,sisteron #bhj ,,xxv4 ,st4 ,jerome de ,digne #bhc ,,xxvi4 ,notre ,dame de ,die #bhg ,,xxvii4 ,notre ,dame et ,st4 ,castor d',apt #bhi ,,xxviii4 ,notre ,dame d',embrun #bib ,,xxix4 ,notre ,dame de l',assomption de ,gap #bif ,,xxx4 ,notre ,dame de ,vence #cjj ,,xxxi4 ,cathdrale de ,sion #cjb ,,xxii4 ,st4 ,paul ,troix ,chteau #cje ,,part ,,iv4 ,,the ,,mediterranean ,,coast ,i4 ,introductory #cac ,,ii4 ,st4 ,sauveur d',aix #cbc ,,iii4 ,st4 ,reparata de ,nice #cbh ,,iv4 ,ste4 ,marie ,majeure de ,toulon #ccb ,v4 ,st4 ,etienne de ,frjus #cce ,,vi4 glise de ,grasse #cci ,,vii4 ,antibes #cda ,,viii4 ,ste4 ,marie ,majeure de ,marseilles #cdb ,,ix4 ,st4 ,pierre d',alet #cej ,x4 ,st4 ,pierre de ,montpellier #ceb ,,xi4 ,cathdrale d',agde #ceh ,,xii4 ,st4 ,nazaire de ,bziers #cfc ,,xiii4 ,st4 ,jean de ,perpignan #cfh ,,xiv4 ,ste4 ,eulalia d',elne #cgb ,,xv4 ,st4 ,just de ,narbonne #cge ,,part ,v4 ,,the ,,valley ,,of ,,the ,,garonne ,i4 ,introductory #chc ,,ii4 ,st4 ,andr de ,bordeaux #cif ,,iii4 ,cathdrale de ,lectoure #djb ,,iv4 ,notre ,dame de ,bayonne #dje ,v4 ,st4 ,jean de ,bazas #daa ,,vi4 ,notre ,dame de ,lescar #dac ,,vii4 ,l',eglise de la ,sde3 ,tarbes #dag ,,viii4 ,cathdrale de ,condom #dbj ,,ix4 ,cathdrale de ,montauban #dbb ,x4 ,st4 ,etienne de ,cahors #dbe ,,xi4 ,st4 ,caprias d',agen #dbi ,,xii4 ,ste4 ,marie d',auch #dcb ,,xiii4 ,st4 ,etienne de ,toulouse #dci ,,xiv4 ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassone #ddi ,,xv4 ,cathdrale de ,pamiers #dfa ,,xvi4 ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges #dfd ,,xvii4 ,st4 ,jean-,baptiste d',aire #dfi ,,xviii4 ,sts4 ,benoit et ,vincent de ,castres #dga ,,xix4 ,notre ,dame de ,rodez #dgd ,,xx4 ,ste4 ,ccile d',albi #dhb ,,xxi4 ,st4 ,pierre de ,mende #dij ,,xxii4 ,other ,old-,time ,cathedrals in and about the ,basin of the ,garonne #die ,,appendices ,i4 ,sketch ,map ,showing the ,usual ,geographical ,divisions of ,france #ejc ,,ii4 ,a ,historical ,table of the ,dioceses of the ,south of ,france up to the beginning of the nineteenth century #ejd ,,iii4 ,the ,classification of ,architectural ,styles in ,france according to ,de ,caumont's ,abcdaire d',architecture ,religieuse #eaj ,,iv4 ,a ,chronology of ,architectural ,styles in ,france #eaa ,v4 ,leading ,forms of ,early ,cathedral ,constructions #eac ,,vi4 ,the ,disposition of the ,parts of a ,tenth-,century ,church as defined by ,violet-le-,duc #ead ,,vii4 ,a ,brief ,definitive ,gazetteer of the ,natural and ,geological ,divisions ,included in the ,ancient ,provinces and ,present-,day ,departments of ,southern ,france1 together with the local names by which the pays et pagi are commonly known #eaf ,,viii4 ,sketch ,map of the ,bishoprics and ,archbishoprics of the ,south of ,france at the ,present ,day #eai ,,ix4 ,dimensions and ,chronology #ebj ,index #ede ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,page ,st4 ,andr de ,bordeaux ,frontispiece ,the ,concordat 7,from ,napoleon's ,tomb7 #dc ,st4 ,louis de ,la ,rochelle #hb ,cathdrale de ,luon #he ,st4 ,front de ,prigueux #hg ,detail of the ,interior of ,st4 ,front de ,prigueux #ij ,poitiers #ic ,st4 ,etienne de ,limoges #aje ,reliquary of ,thomas ,becket #aaa ,cathdrale de ,tulle facing #aah ,st4 ,pierre d',angoulme facing #abj ,notre ,dame de ,moulins facing #abf ,notre ,dame de ,le ,puy facing #acd ,le ,puy #ach ,the ,black ,virgin1 ,le ,puy #adc ,notre ,dame de ,clermont-,ferrand facing #add ,st4 ,vincent de ,macon facing #agd ,st4 ,jean de ,lyon facing #agf ,st4 ,apollinaire de ,valence #aij ,st4 ,vran de ,cavaillon #bjj ,notre ,dame des ,doms d',avignon #bje ,villeneuve-les-,avignon facing #bab ,notre ,dame des ,doms d',avignon facing #bah ,st4 ,trophime d',arles #bbh ,st4 ,trophime d',arles facing #bbh ,cloisters1 ,st4 ,trophime d',arles #bcc ,st4 ,castor de ,nmes #bcf ,st4 ,castor de ,nmes #bcg ,st4 ,thodorit d',uzs #bde ,cathdrale de ,chambry #bee ,notre ,dame de ,grenoble #beh ,st4 ,bruno #bfa ,belley #bfe ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne #bfi ,st4 ,pierre de ,st4 ,claude facing #bgb ,notre ,dame de ,bourg #bge ,notre ,dame de ,sisteron facing #bhj ,st4 ,jerome de ,digne #bhc ,notre ,dame d',embrun #bib ,the ,ramparts of ,aigues-,mortes #cbj ,st4 ,sauveur d',aix #cba ,detail of ,doorway of the ,archbishop's ,palace1 ,frjus #cch ,eglise de ,grasse #cci ,marseilles #cdc ,the ,old ,cathedral1 ,marseilles #cde ,st4 ,pierre de ,montpellier facing #ceb ,cathdrale d',agde #ceh ,st4 ,nazaire de ,bziers #cfa ,st4 ,jean de ,perpignan #cfh ,ste4 ,eulalia d',elne #cgb ,st4 ,just de ,narbonne facing #cgd ,cloister of ,st4 ,just de ,narbonne facing #cgh ,notre ,dame de ,bayonne facing #djd ,eglise de la ,sde1 ,tarbes #dag ,st4 ,etienne de ,cahors facing #dbd ,ste4 ,marie d',auch facing #dcb ,st4 ,etienne de ,toulouse facing #dch ,nave of ,st4 ,etienne de ,toulouse #dde ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne facing #ddh ,the ,old ,cit de ,carcassonne before and after the ,restoration #dea ,two ,capitals of ,pillars in ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne2 and the ,rude ,stone ,carving of ,carcas #ded ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne facing #ded ,cathdrale de ,pamiers #dfa ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges facing #dfd ,st4 ,jean-,baptiste d',aire #dfi ,sts4 ,benoit et ,vincent de ,castres facing #dgj ,notre ,dame de ,rodez facing #dgd ,choir-,stalls1 ,rodez #dhj ,ste4 ,ccile d',albi facing #dhb ,st4 ,pierre de ,mende facing #dij ,sketch ,map of ,france #ejc ,medallion #eaj ,leading ,forms of ,early ,cathedral ,constructions #eac ,plan of a ,tenth ,century ,church #ead ,sketch ,map of the ,bishoprics and ,archbishoprics of the ,south of ,france at the ,present ,day #eai ,st4 ,caprias d',agen 7diagram7 #ebj ,baptistery of ,st4 ,sauveur d',aix 7diagram7 #eba ,ste4 ,ccile d',albi 7diagram7 #ebb ,st4 ,pierre d',angoulme 7diagram7 #ebc ,st4 ,trophime d',arles 7diagram7 #ebd ,notre ,dame des ,doms d',avignon 7diagram7 #ebe ,st4 ,etienne de ,cahors 7diagram7 #ebg ,st4 ,veran de ,cavaillon 7diagram7 #ebh ,cathdrale de ,chambry 7diagram7 #ebi ,notre ,dame de ,clermont-,ferrand 7diagram7 #ecj ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges 7diagram7 #ecj ,notre ,dame de ,le ,puy 7diagram7 #ecb ,st4 ,etienne de ,limoges 7diagram7 #ecb ,st4 ,jean de ,lyon 7diagram7 #ecc ,st4 ,just de ,narbonne 7diagram7 #ece ,notre ,dame d',orange 7diagram7 #ecf ,st4 ,front de ,prigueux 7diagram7 #ecg ,st4 ,jean de ,perpignan 7diagram7 #ecg ,st4 ,pierre de ,poitiers 7diagrams7 #ech ,notre ,dame de ,rodez 7diagram7 #eci ,st4 ,etienne de ,toulouse 7diagram7 #eda ,st4 ,paul ,trois ,chteaux 7diagram7 #edb ,cathdrale de ,vaison 7diagram7 #edc ,illustration ,the ,cathedrals of ,southern ,france ,,introduction ,too often--it is a half-acknowledged delusion1 however--one meets with what appears to be a theory3 that a book of travel must necessarily be a series of dull1 discursive1 and entirely uncorroborated opinions of one who may not be even an intelligent observer4 ,this is mere intellectual pretence4 ,even a humble author--so long as he be an honest one--may well be allowed to claim with ,mr4 ,howells the right to be serious1 or the reverse1 with his material as he finds it2 and that something personally experienced can only be realized on the spot where it was lived4 ,this1 says he1 is the prime use of travel1 and the attempt to create the reader a partner in the enterprise 444 must be the excuse1 then1 for putting one's observations on paper4 ,he rightly says1 too1 that nothing of perilous adventure is to-day any more like to happen in ,florence than in ,fitchburg4 ,a literary tour1 a cathedral tour1 or an architectural tour1 requires a formula wherein the author must be wary of making questionable estimates2 but he may1 with regard to generalities1--or details1 for that matter1--state his opinion plainly2 but he should state also his reasons4 ,with respect to church architecture no average reader1 any more than the average observer1 willingly enters the arena of intellectual combat1 but rather is satisfied--as he should be1 unless he is a ,freeman1 a ,gonse1 or a ,corroyer--with an ampler radius which shall command even a juster1 though no less truthful1 view4 ,not from one book or from ten1 in one year or a score can this be had4 ,the field is vast and the immensity of it all only dawns upon one the deeper he gets into his subject4 ,a dictionary of architecture1 a compendium or gazetteer of geography1 or even the unwieldy mass of fact tightly held in the fastnesses of the ,encyclopdia ,britannica will not tell one--in either a long or a short while--all the facts concerning the cathedrals of ,france4 ,some will consider that in this book are made many apparently trifling assertions2 but it is claimed that they are pertinent and again are expressive of an emotion which mayhap always arises of the same mood4 ,notre ,dame at ,rodez is a warm1 mouse-coloured cathedral2 ,st4 ,ccile d',albi is at once a fortress and a church1 and the once royal city of ,aigues-,mortes is to-day but a shelter for a few hundred pallid1 shaking mortals4 ,such expressions are figurative1 but1 so far as words can put it1 they are the concentrated result of observation4 ,these observations do not aspire to be considered improving1 though it is asserted that they are informative4 ,description of all kinds is an art which requires considerable forethought in order to be even readable4 ,and of all subjects1 art and architecture are perhaps the most difficult to treat in a manner which shall not arouse an intolerant criticism4 ,perhaps some credit will be attained for the attempts herein made to present in a pleasing manner many of the charms of the ecclesiastical architecture of southern ,france1 where a more elaborate and erudite work would fail of its object4 ,as ,lady ,montagu has said in her ,letters1--,we travellers are in very hard circumstances4 ,if we say nothing new1 we are dull1 and have observed nothing4 ,if we tell any new thing1 we are laughed at as fabulous and romantic4 ,this book is intended as a contribution to travel literature--or1 if the reader like1 to that special class of book which appeals largely to the traveller4 ,most lovers of art and literature are lovers of churches2 indeed1 the world is yearly containing more and more of this class4 ,the art expression of a people1 of ,france in particular1 has most often first found its outlet in church-building and decoration4 ,some other countries have degenerated sadly from the idea4 ,in recent times the ,anglo-,saxon has mostly built his churches1--on what he is pleased to think are improved lines1--that1 more than anything else1 resemble1 in their interiors1 playhouses1 and in their exteriors1 cotton factories and breweries4 ,this seemingly bitter view is advanced simply because the writer believes that it is the church-members1 using the term in its broad sense1 who are responsible for the many outrageously unseemly church-buildings which are yearly being erected2 not the architects--who have failings enough of their own to answer for4 ,it is said that a certain great architect of recent times was responsible for more bad architecture than any man who had lived before or since4 ,not because he produced such himself1 but because his feeble imitators1 without his knowledge1 his training1 or his ambition1 not only sought to follow in his footsteps1 but remained a long way in the rear1 and stumbled by the way4 ,this man built churches4 ,he built one1 ,trinity ,church1 in ,boston1 ,u4 ,s4 ,a41 which will remain1 as long as its stones endure1 an entirely successful transplantation of an exotic from another land4 ,in ,london a new ,roman ,catholic cathedral has recently been erected after the ,byzantine manner1 and so unexpectedly successful was it in plan and execution that its author was medalled by the ,royal ,academy2 whatever that dubious honour may be worth4 ,both these great men are dead1 and aside from these two great examples1 and possibly the ,roman ,catholic cathedral1 and the yet unachieved cathedral of ,st4 ,john the ,divine1 in ,new ,york ,city1 where1 in an ,english-speaking land1 has there been built1 in recent times1 a religious edifice of the first rank worthy to be classed with these two old-world and new-world examples8 ,they do these things better in ,france3 ,viollet-le-,duc completed ,st4 ,ouen at ,rouen and the cathedral at ,clermont-,ferrand1 in most acceptable manner4 ,so1 too1 was the treatment of the cathedral at ,moulins-sur-,allier--although none of these examples are among the noblest or the most magnificent in ,france4 ,they have1 however1 been completed successfully1 and in the true spirit of the original4 ,to know the shops and boulevards of ,paris does not necessarily presume a knowledge of ,france4 ,this point is mentioned here from the fact that many have claimed a familiarity with the cathedrals of ,france2 when to all practical purposes1 they might as well have begun and ended with the observation that ,notre ,dame de ,paris stands on an island in the middle of the ,seine4 ,the author would not carp at the critics of the first volume of this series1 which appeared last season4 ,far from it4 ,they were1 almost without exception1 most generous4 ,at least they granted1 unqualifiedly1 the reason for being for the volume which was put forth bearing the title3 ,cathedrals of ,northern ,france4 ,the seeming magnitude of the undertaking first came upon the author and artist while preparing the first volume for the press4 ,this was made the more apparent when1 on a certain occasion1 just previous to the appearance of the book1 the author made mention thereof to a friend who did know ,paris--better perhaps than most ,english or ,american writers2 at least he ought to have known it better4 ,when this friend heard of the inception of this book on ,french cathedrals1 he marvelled at the fact that there should be a demand for such2 said that the subject had already been overdone2 and much more of the same sort2 and that only yesterday a certain ,miss---- had sent him an author's copy of a book which recounted the results of a journey which she and her mother had recently made in what she sentimentally called ,romantic ,touraine4 ,therein were treated at least a good half-dozen cathedrals2 which1 supplementing the always useful ,baedeker or ,joanne1 and a handbook of ,notre ,dame at ,paris and another of ,rouen1 covered--thought the author's friend at least--quite a representative share of the cathedrals of ,france4 ,this only substantiates the contention made in the foreword to the first volume3 that there were doubtless many with a true appreciation and love for great churches who would be glad to know more of them1 and have the ways--if not the means--smoothed in order to make a visit thereto the more simplified and agreeable4 ,too often--the preface continued--the tourist1 alone or personally conducted in droves1 was whirled rapidly onward by express-train to some more popularly or fashionably famous spot1 where1 for a previously stipulated sum1 he might partake of a more lurid series of amusements than a mere dull round of churches4 ,cities1 like individuals1 have1 says ,arthur ,symons1 a personality and individuality quite like human beings4 ,this is undoubtedly true of churches as well1 and the sympathetic observer--the enthusiastic lover of churches for their peculiarities1 none the less than their general excellencies--is the only person who will derive the maximum amount of pleasure and profit from an intimacy therewith4 ,whether a great church is interesting because of its antiquity1 its history1 or its artistic beauties matters little to the enthusiast4 ,he will drink his fill of what offers4 ,occasionally1 he will find a combination of two--or possibly all--of these ingredients2 when his joy will be great4 ,herein are catalogued as many of the attributes of the cathedrals of the south of ,france--and the records of religious or civil life which have surrounded them in the past--as space and opportunity for observation have permitted4 ,more the most sanguine and capable of authors could not promise1 and while in no sense does the volume presume to supply exhaustive information1 it is claimed that all of the churches included within the classification of cathedrals--those of the present and those of a past day--are to be found mentioned herein1 the chief facts of their history recorded1 and their notable features catalogued4 ,,part ,i ,southern ,france in ,general ,i ,,the ,,charm ,,of ,,southern ,,france ,the charm of southern ,france is such as to compel most writers thereon to become discursive4 ,it could not well be otherwise4 ,many things go to make up pictures of travel1 which the most polished writer could not ignore unless he confined himself to narrative pure and simple2 as did ,sterne4 ,one who seeks knowledge of the architecture of southern ,france should perforce know something of the life of town and country in addition to a specific knowledge of1 or an immeasurable enthusiasm for1 the subject4 ,few have given ,robert ,louis ,stevenson any great preminence as a writer of topographical description2 perhaps not all have admitted his ability as an unassailable critic2 but the fact is1 there is no writer to whom the lover of ,france can turn with more pleasure and profit than ,stevenson4 ,there is a wealth of description of the country-side of ,france in the account of his romantic travels on donkey-back1 or1 as he whimsically puts it1 beside a donkey1 and his venturesome though not dangerous ,inland ,voyage4 ,these early volumes of ,stevenson1 while doubtless well known to lovers of his works1 are closed books to most casual travellers4 ,the author and artist of this book here humbly acknowledge an indebtedness which might not otherwise be possible to repay4 ,stevenson was devout1 he wrote sympathetically of churches1 of cathedrals1 of monasteries1 and of religion4 ,what his predilections were as to creed is not so certain4 ,sterne was more worldly1 but he wrote equally attractive prose concerning many things which ,english-speaking people have come to know more of since his time4 ,arthur ,young1 an agriculturist1 as he has been rather contemptuously called1 a century or more ago wrote of rural ,france after a manner1 and with a profuseness1 which few have since equalled4 ,his creed1 likewise1 appears to be unknown2 in that1 seldom1 if ever1 did he mention churches1 and not at any time did he discuss religion4 ,in a later day ,miss ,m4 ,e4 ,b4 ,edwards1 an ,english lady who knows ,france as few of her countrywomen do1 wrote of many things more or less allied with religion1 which the ordinary travel books ignored--much to their loss--altogether4 ,still more recently another ,english lady1 ,madam ,marie ,duclaux1--though her name would not appear to indicate her nationality1--has written a most charming series of observations on her adopted land2 wherein the peasant1 his religion1 and his aims in life are dealt with more understandingly than were perhaps possible1 had the author not been possessed of a long residence among them4 ,henry ,james1 of all latter-day writers1 has given us perhaps the most illuminating accounts of the architectural joy of great churches1 chteaux and cathedrals4 ,certainly his work is marvellously appreciative1 and his ,little ,tour in ,france1 with the two books of ,stevenson before mentioned1 ,sterne's ,sentimental ,journey1--and ,mr4 ,tristram ,shandy1 too1 if the reader likes1--form a quintette of voices which will tell more of the glories of ,france and her peoples than any other five books in the ,english language4 ,when considering the literature of place1 one must not overlook the fair land of ,provence or the ,midi of ,france--that little-known land lying immediately to the westward of ,marseilles1 which is seldom or never even tasted by the hungry tourist4 ,to know what he would of these two delightful regions one should read ,thomas ,janvier1 ,flix ,gras1 and ,mrime4 ,he will then have far more of an insight into the places and the peoples than if he perused whole shelves of histories1 geographies1 or technical works on archology and fossil remains4 ,if he can supplement all this with travel1 or1 better yet1 take them hand-in-hand1 he will be all the more fortunate4 ,at all events here is a vast subject for the sated traveller to grasp1 and en passant he will absorb not a little of the spirit of other days and of past history1 and something of the attitude of reverence for church architecture which is apparently born in every ,frenchman1--at least to a far greater degree than in any other nationality1--whatever may be his present-day attitude of mind toward the subject of religion in the abstract4 ,france1 be it remembered1 is not to-day as it was a century and a half ago1 when it was the fashion of ,english writers to condemn and revile it as a nation of degraded serfs1 a degenerate aristocracy1 a corrupt clergy1 or as an enfeebled monarchy4 ,since then there has arisen a ,napoleon1 who1 whatever his faulty morals may have been1 undoubtedly welded into a united whole those widely divergent tendencies and sentiments of the past1 which otherwise would not have survived4 ,this was prophetic and far-seeing1 no matter what the average historian may say to the contrary2 and it has in no small way worked itself toward an ideal successfully1 if not always by the most practical and direct path4 ,one thing is certain1 the lover of churches will make the round of the southern cathedrals under considerably more novel and entrancing conditions than in those cities of the north or mid-,france4 ,many of the places which shelter a great cathedral church in the south are of little rank as centres of population2 as1 for instance1 at ,mende in ,lozre1 where one suddenly finds oneself set down in the midst of a green basin surrounded by mountains on all sides1 with little to distract his attention from its remarkably picturesque cathedral2 or at ,albi1 where a ,sunday-like stillness always seems to reign1 and its fortress-church1 which seems to regulate the very life of the town1 stands1 as it has since its foundation1 a majestic guardian of well-being4 ,there is but one uncomfortable feature to guard against1 and that is the mistral1 a wind which blows down the ,rhne valley at certain seasons of the year1 and1 in the words of the habitant1 blows all before it4 ,it is not really as bad as this1 but its breath is uncomfortably cold1 and it does require a firm purpose to stand against its blast4 ,then1 too1 from ,october until ,march1 south of ,lyons1 the nights1 which draw in so early at this season of the year1 are contrastingly and uncomfortably cold1 as compared with the days1 which seem always to be blessed with bright and sunshiny weather4 ,it may be argued that this is not the season which appeals to most people as being suitable for travelling4 ,but why not8 ,certainly it is the fashion to travel toward the ,mediterranean during the winter months1 and the attractions1 not omitting the allurements of dress clothes1 gambling-houses1 and bals masqus are surely not more appealing than the chain of cities which extend from ,chambry and ,grenoble in the ,alps1 through ,orange1 ,nmes1 ,arles1 ,perpignan1 ,carcassonne1 and the slopes of the ,pyrenees1 to ,bayonne4 ,in the departments of ,lozre1 ,puy de ,dme1 ,gard and ,auvergne and ,dordogne1 the true1 unspoiled ,gallic flavour abides in all its intensity4 ,as ,touraine1 or at least ,tours1 claims to speak the purest ,french tongue1 so this region of streams and mountains1 of volcanic remains1 of ,protestantism1 and of an--as yet--unspoiled old-worldliness1 possesses more than any other somewhat of the old-time social independence and disregard of latter-day innovations4 ,particularly is this so--though perhaps it has been remarked before--in that territory which lies between ,clermont-,ferrand and ,valence in one direction1 and ,vienne and ,rodez in another1 to extend its confines to extreme limits4 ,here life goes on gaily and in animated fashion1 in a hundred dignified and picturesque old towns1 and the wise traveller will go a-hunting after those which the guide-books complain of--not without a sneer--as being dull and desultory4 ,french1 and for that matter the new rgime of ,english1 historical novelists are too obstinately bent on the study of ,paris1 ,at all events1 says ,edmund ,gosse1 since the days of ,balzac and ,george ,sand1 and have neglected the provincial boroughs4 ,they should study mid-,france on the spot2 and read ,stevenson and ,mrime while they are doing it4 ,it will save them a deal of worrying out of things--with possibly wrong deductions--for themselves4 ,the climatic conditions of ,france vary greatly4 ,from the gray1 wind-blown shores of ,brittany1 where for quite three months of the autumn one is in a perpetual drizzle1 and the equally chilly and bare country of the ,pas de ,calais1 and the more or less sodden ,french ,flanders1 to the brisk1 sunny climate of the ,loire valley1 the ,cevennes1 ,dauphin1 and ,savoie1 is a wide range of contrast4 ,each is possessed of its own peculiar characteristics1 which the habitant alone seems to understand in all its vagaries4 ,at all events1 there is no part of ,france which actually merits the opprobrious deprecations which are occasionally launched forth by the residents of the garden spot of ,england1 who see no topographical beauties save in their own wealds and downs4 ,france is distinctly a self-contained land4 ,its tillers of the soil1 be they mere agriculturists or workers in the vineyards1 are of a race as devoted and capable at their avocations as any alive4 ,they do not1 to be sure1 eat meat three times a day--and often not once a week--but they thrive and gain strength on what many an ,english-speaking labourer would consider but a mere snack4 ,again1 the ,french peasant is not1 like the ,english labourer1 perpetually reminded1 by the independence of the wealth surrounding him1 of his own privations and dependence4 ,on the contrary1 he enjoys contentment with a consciousness that no human intervention embitters his condition1 and that its limits are only fixed by the bounds of nature1 and somewhat by his own industry4 ,thus it is easy to inculcate in such a people somewhat more of that spirit of l'amour de la patrie1 or love of the land1 which in ,england1 at the present time1 appears to be growing beautifully less4 ,so1 too1 with love and honour for their famous citizens1 the ,french are enthusiastic1 beyond any other peoples1 for their monuments1 their institutions1 and above all for their own province and department4 ,with regard to their architectural monuments1 still more are they proud and well-informed1 even the labouring classes4 ,seldom1 if ever1 has the writer made an inquiry but what it was answered with interest1 if not with a superlative intelligence1 and the ,frenchman of the lower classes--be he a labourer of the towns or cities1 or a peasant of the country-side--is a remarkably obliging person4 ,in what may strictly be called the south of ,france1 that region bordering along the ,mediterranean1 ,provence1 and the southerly portion of ,languedoc1 one is manifestly environed with a mellowness and brilliance of sky and atmosphere only to be noted in a sub-tropical land1 a feature which finds further expression in most of the attributes of local life4 ,the climate and topographical features take on a contrastingly different aspect1 as does the church architecture and the mode of life of the inhabitants here in the southland4 ,here is the true romance country of all the world4 ,here the ,provenal tongue and its literature have preserved that which is fast fleeting from us in these days when a nation's greatest struggle is for commercial or political supremacy4 ,it was different in the days of ,petrarch and of ,rabelais4 ,but there are reminders of this glorious past yet to be seen1 more tangible than a memory alone1 and more satisfying than mere written history4 ,at ,orange1 ,nmes1 and ,arles are ,roman remains of theatres1 arenas1 and temples1 often perfectly preserved1 and as magnificent as in ,rome itself4 ,at ,avignon is a splendid papal palace1 to which the ,holy ,see was transferred by ,clement ,v4 at the time of the ,italian partition1 in the early fourteenth century1 while ,laura's tomb1 or the site of it1 is also close at hand4 ,at ,clermont-,ferrand1 in ,auvergne1 ,pope ,urban1 whose monument is on the spot1 urged and instigated the ,crusades4 ,the ,christian activities of this land were as strenuous as any1 and their remains are even more numerous and interesting4 ,southern ,gaul1 however1 became modernized but slowly1 and the influences of the ,christian spirit were not perhaps as rapid as in the north1 where ,roman sway was more speedily annulled4 ,still1 not even in the churches of ,lombardy or ,tuscany are there more strong evidences of the inception and growth of this great power1 which sought at one time to rule the world1 and may yet4 ,,ii ,,the ,,church ,,in ,,gaul ,guizot's notable dictum1 ,if you are fond of romance and history1 may well be paraphrased in this wise3 ,if you are fond of history1 read the life histories of great churches4 ,leaving dogmatic theory aside1 much1 if not quite all1 of the life of the times in ,france--up to the end of the sixteenth century--centred more or less upon the ,church1 using the word in its fullest sense4 ,aside from its religious significance1 the influence of the ,church1 as is well known and recognized by all1 was variously political1 social1 and perhaps economic4 ,so crowded and varied were the events of ,church history in ,gaul1 it would be impossible to include even the most important of them in a brief chronological arrangement which should form a part of a book such as this4 ,it is imperative1 however1 that such as are mentioned should be brought together in some consecutive manner in a way that should indicate the mighty ebb and flow of religious events of ,church and ,state4 ,these passed rapidly and consecutively throughout ,southern ,gaul1 which became a part of the kingdom of the ,french but slowly4 ,many bishoprics have been suppressed or merged into others1 and again united with these sees from which they had been separated4 ,whatever may be the influences of the ,church1 monastic establishments1 or more particularly1 the bishops and their clergy1 to-day1 there is no question but that from the evangelization of ,gaul to the end of the nineteenth century1 the parts played by them were factors as great as any other in coagulating and welding together the kingdom of ,france4 ,the very large number of bishops which ,france has had approximates eight thousand eminent and virtuous names2 and it is to the memory of their works in a practical way1 none the less than their devotion to preaching the ,word itself1 that the large number of magnificent ecclesiastical monuments have been left as their heritage4 ,there is a large share of veneration and respect due these pioneers of ,christianity2 far more1 perhaps1 than obtains for those of any other land4 ,here their activities were so very great1 their woes and troubles so very oppressive1 and their final achievement so splendid1 that the record is one which stands alone4 ,it is a glorious fact--in spite of certain lapses and influx of fanaticism--that ,france has ever recognized the sterling worth to the nation of the devotion and wise counsel of her churchmen2 from the indefatigable apostles of ,gaul to her cardinals1 wise and powerful in councils of state4 ,the evangelization of ,gaul was not an easy or a speedy process4 ,on the authority of ,abb ,morin of ,moulins1 who1 in ,la ,france ,pontificale1 has undertaken to chronologize all the bishops and archbishops of ,france from the first century to our day1 ,christianity came first to ,aix and ,marseilles with ,lazare de ,bthanie in #ce or #cf ,a4 ,d42 followed shortly after by ,lin de ,besanon1 ,clement de ,metz1 ,demtre de ,gap1 and ,ruf d',avignon4 ,toward the end of the reign of ,claudian1 and the commencement of that of ,nero 7#ed-ee ,a4 ,d471 there arrived in ,gaul the seven ,apostle-bishops1 the founders of the ,church at ,arles 7,st4 ,trophime71 ,narbonne 7,st4 ,paul71 ,limoges 7,st4 ,martial71 ,clermont 7,st4 ,austremoine71 ,tours 7,st4 ,gatien71 ,toulouse 7,st4 ,saturnin71 and ,trves 7,st4 ,valre74 ,it was some years later that ,paris received within its walls ,st4 ,denis1 its first ,apostle of ,christianity1 its first bishop1 and its first martyr4 ,others as famous were ,taurin d',evreux1 ,lucien de ,beauvais1 ,eutrope de ,saintes1 ,aventin de ,chartres1 ,nicaise de ,rouen1 ,sixte de ,reims1 ,savinien de ,sens1 and ,st4 ,crescent--the disciple of ,st4 ,paul--of ,vienne4 ,from these early labours1 through the three centuries following1 and down through fifteen hundred years1 have passed many traditions of these early fathers which are well-nigh legendary and fabulous4 ,the ,abb ,morin says further3 ,we have not1 it is true1 an entirely complete chronology of the bishops who governed the ,church in ,gaul1 but the names of the great and noble army of bishops and clergy1 who for eighteen hundred years have succeeded closely one upon another1 are assuredly the most beautiful jewels in the crown of ,france4 ,their virtues were many and great1--eloquence1 love of la patrie1 indomitable courage in time of trial1 mastery of difficult situation1 prudence1 energy1 patience1 and charity4 ,all these grand virtues were practised incessantly1 with some regrettable eclipses1 attributable not only to misfortune1 but occasionally to fault4 ,a churchman even is but human4 ,with the accession of the third dynasty of kings1--the ,capetians1 in #ihg1--the history of the ,french really began1 and that of the ,franks1 with their ,germanic tendencies and elements1 became absorbed by those of the ,romanic language and character1 with the attendant habits and customs4 ,only the ,aquitanians1 south of the ,loire1 and the ,burgundians on the ,rhne1 still preserved their distinct nationalities4 ,the feudal ties which bound ,aquitaine to ,france were indeed so slight that1 when ,hugh ,capet1 in #iij1 asked of ,count ,adelbert of ,prigueux1 before the walls of the besieged city of ,tours3 ,who made thee count8 he was met with the prompt and significant rejoinder1 ,who made thee king8 ,at the close of the tenth century1 ,france was ruled by close upon sixty princes1 virtually independent1 and yet a still greater number of prelates1--as powerful as any feudal lord1--who considered ,hugh ,capet of ,paris only as one who was first among his peers4 ,yet he was able to extend his territory to such a degree that his hereditary dynasty ultimately assured the unification of the ,french nation4 ,less than a century later ,duke ,william of ,normandy conquered ,england 7#ajff72 when began that protracted struggle between ,france and ,england which lasted for three hundred years4 ,immediately after the return of the pious ,louis ,,vii4 from his disastrous crusade1 his queen1 ,eleanor1 the heiress of ,poitou and ,guienne1 married the young count ,henry ,plantagenet of ,maine and ,anjou2 who1 when he came to the ,english throne in #aaec1 inherited and acquired by marriage--as historians subtly put it-- the better half of all ,france4 ,until #acbb the ,church in ,france was divided into the following dioceses3 ,provincia ,remensis 7,reims7 ,provincia ,rotomagensis 7,all ,normandy7 ,provincia ,turonensis 7,touraine1 ,maine1 ,anjou1 and ,brittany7 ,provincia ,burdegalensis 7,poitou1 ,saintonge1 ,angumois1 ,prigord1 and ,bordelais7 ,provincia ,auxitana 7,in ,gascoigne7 ,provincia ,bituricensis 7,berri1 ,bourbonnais1 ,limosin1 and ,auvergne7 ,provincia ,senonensis 7,sens7 ,provincia ,lugdunensis 7,bourgogne and ,lyonnais7 ,provincia ,viennensis 7,vienne on the ,rhne7 ,provincia ,narbonensis 7,septimania7 ,provincia ,arelatensis 7,arles7 ,provincia ,aquensis 7,aix-en-,provence7 ,provincia ,ebredunensis 7,the ,alpine ,valleys7 ,the stormy days of the reign of ,charles ,v4 7late fourteenth century7 throughout ,france were no less stringent in ,languedoc than elsewhere4 ,here the people rose against the asserted domination of the ,duke of ,anjou1 who1 proud and greedy1 was for both qualities abhorred by the ,languedocians4 ,he sought to restrain civic liberty with a permanent military force1 and at ,nmes levied heavy taxes1 which were promptly resented by rebellion4 ,at ,montpellier the people no less actively protested1 and slew the chancellor and seneschal4 ,by the end of the thirteenth century1 social1 political1 and ecclesiastical changes had wrought a wonderful magic with the map of ,france4 ,john ,lackland 7sans terre7 had been compelled by ,philippe-,auguste to relinquish his feudal possessions in ,france1 with the exception of ,guienne4 ,at this time also the internal crusades against the ,waldenses and ,albigenses in southern ,france had powerfully extended the royal flag4 ,again1 history tells us that it was from the impulse and after influences of the crusading armies to the ,east that ,france was welded1 under ,philippe-le-,bel1 into a united whole4 ,the shifting fortunes of ,france under ,english rule were1 however1 such as to put little stop to the progress of church-building in the provinces2 though it is to be feared that matters in that line1 as most others of the time1 went rather by favour than by right of sword4 ,territorial changes brought about1 in due course1 modified plans of the ecclesiastical control and government1 which in the first years of the fourteenth century caused certain administrative regulations to be put into effect by ,pope ,john ,,xxii4 7who lies buried beneath a gorgeous ,gothic monument at ,avignon7 regarding the ,church in the southern provinces4 ,so well planned were these details that the ,church remained practically under the same administrative laws until the ,revolution4 ,albi was separated from ,bourges 7#acag71 and raised to the rank of a metropolitan see2 to which were added as suffragans ,cahors1 ,rodez1 and ,mende1 with the newly founded bishoprics of ,castres and ,vabres added4 ,toulouse was formed into an archbishopric in #acbg2 while ,st4 ,pons and ,alet1 as newly founded bishoprics1 were given to the ancient see of ,narbonne in indemnification for its having been robbed of ,toulouse4 ,the ancient diocese of ,poitiers was divided into three1 and that of ,agen into two by the erection of suffragans at ,maillezais1 ,luon1 ,sarlat1 and ,condom4 ,by a later papal bull1 issued shortly after their establishment1 these bishoprics appear to have been abolished1 as no record shows that they entered into the general scheme of the revolutionary suppression4 ,on ,august #d1 #agij1 all chapters of cathedral churches1 other than those of the metropoles 7the mother sees71 their bishops1 and in turn their respective curs1 were suppressed4 ,this ruling applied as well to all collegiate churches1 secular bodies1 and abbeys and priories generally4 ,many were1 of course1 restablished at a subsequent time1 or1 at least1 were permitted to resume their beneficent work4 ,but it was this general suppression1 in the latter years of the eighteenth century1 which led up to the general reapportioning of dioceses in that composition of ,church and ,state thereafter known as the ,concordat4 ,illustration3 ,the ,concordat 7,from ,napoleon's ,tomb7 ,many causes deflected the growth of the ,church from its natural progressive pathway4 ,the ,protestant fury went nearly to fanaticism1 as did the equally fervent attempts to suppress it4 ,the ,temples of ,reason of the ,terrorists were of short endurance1 but they indicated an unrest that has only in a measure moderated1 if one is to take later political events as an indication of anything more than a mere uncontrolled emotion4 ,whether a great future awaits ,protestantism in ,france1 or not1 the power of the ,roman ,church is undoubtedly waning1 in attracting congregations1 at least4 ,should a ,wesley or a ,whitfield arise1 he might gain followers1 as strong men do1 and they would draw unto them others1 until congregations might abound4 ,but the faith could hardly become the avowed religion of or for the ,french people4 ,it has1 however1 a great champion in the powerful newspaper1 ,le ,temps1 which has done1 and will do1 much to popularize the movement4 ,the ,protestantism of ,lot and ,lot et ,garonne is considerable1 and it is of very long standing4 ,it is recorded1 too1 that as late as ,october1 #aija1 the ,commune of ,murat went over en masse to ,protestantism because the ,catholic bishop at ,cahors desired his communicants to rise from their beds at what they considered an inconveniently early hour1 in order to hear mass4 ,this movement in ,languedoc was not wholly due to the tyranny of the ,duke of ,anjou2 it was caused in part by the confiscation or assumption of the papal authority by ,france4 ,this caused not only an internal unrest in ,italy1 but a turbulence which spread throughout all the western ,mediterranean1 and even unto the ,rhine and ,flanders4 ,the danger which threatened the establishment of the ,church1 by making the papacy a dependence of ,france1 aroused the ,italian prelates and people alike1 and gave rise to the simultaneous existence of both a ,french and an ,italian ,pope4 ,charles ,v4 supported the ,french pontiff1 as was but natural1 thus fermenting a great schism2 with its attendant controversies and horrors4 ,french and ,italian politics became for a time inexplicably mingled1 and the kingdom of ,naples came to be transferred to the house of ,anjou4 ,the ,revolution1 following close upon the ,jansenist movement at ,port ,royal1 and the bull ,unigenitus of the ,pope1 resulted in such riot and disregard for all established institutions1 monarchical1 political1 and religious1 that the latter--quite as much as the others--suffered undue severity4 ,the ,church itself was at this time divided1 and rascally intrigue1 as well as betrayal1 was the order of the day on all sides4 ,bishops were politicians1 and priests were but the tools of their masters2 this to no small degree1 if we are to accept the written records4 ,talleyrand-,prigord1 ,bishop of ,autun1 was a member of the ,national ,assembly1 and often presided over the sittings of that none too deliberate body4 ,in the innovations of the ,revolution1 the ,church and the clergy took1 for what was believed to be the national good1 their full and abiding share in the surrender of past privileges4 ,at ,paris1 at the instance of ,mirabeau1 they even acknowledged1 in some measure1 the principle of religious liberty1 in its widest application4 ,the appalling massacres of ,september #b1 #agib1 fell heavily upon the clergy throughout ,france2 of whom one hundred and forty were murdered at the ,carmes alone4 ,the ,archbishop of ,arles on that eventful day gave utterance to the following devoted plea3 ,give thanks to ,god1 gentlemen1 that ,he calls us to seal with our blood the faith we profess4 ,let us ask of ,him the grace of final perseverance1 which by our own merit we could not obtain4 ,the ,restoration found the ,church in a miserable and impoverished condition4 ,there was already a long list of dioceses without bishops2 of cardinals1 prelates1 and priests without charges1 many of them in prison4 ,congregations innumerable had been suppressed and many sees had been abolished4 ,the new dioceses1 under the ,concordat of #ahja1 one for each department only1 were of vast size as compared with those which had existed more numerously before the ,revolution4 ,in #ahbb thirty new sees were added to the prelature4 ,to-day there are sixty-seven bishoprics and seventeen archbishoprics1 not including the colonial suffragans1 but including the diocese of ,corsica1 whose seat is at ,ajaccio4 ,church and ,state are thus seen to have been1 from the earliest times1 indissolubly linked throughout ,french dominion4 ,the king--while there was a king--was the eldest son of the ,church1 and1 it is said1 the ,church in ,france remains to-day that part of the ,roman communion which possesses the greatest importance for the governing body of that faith4 ,this1 in spite of the tendency toward what might be called1 for the want of a more expressive word1 irreligion4 ,this is a condition1 or a state1 which is unquestionably making headway in the ,france of to-day--as well1 presumably1 as in other countries--of its own sheer weight of numbers4 ,one by one1 since the establishment of the ,church in ,gaul1 all who placed any limits to their ecclesiastical allegiance have been turned out1 and so turned into enemies1--the ,protestants1 the ,jansenists1 followers of the ,bishop of ,ypres1 and the ,constitutionalists4 ,reconciliation on either side is1 and ever has been1 apparently1 an impossibility4 ,freedom of thought and action is undoubtedly increasing its license1 and the clergy in politics1 while a thing to be desired by many1 is1 after all1 a thing to be feared by the greater number1--for whom a popular government is made4 ,hence the curtailment of the power of the monks--the real secular propagandists--was perhaps a wise thing4 ,we are not to-day living under the conditions which will permit of a new ,richelieu to come upon the scene1 and the recent act 7#aijb7 which suppressed so many monastic establishments1 convents1 and religious houses of all ranks1 including the ,alpine retreat of ,la ,grande ,chartreuse1 may be taken rather as a natural process of curtailment than a mere vindictive desire on the part of the ,state to concern itself with things that do not matter4 ,on the other hand1 it is hard to see just what immediate gain is to result to the nation4 ,,iii ,,the ,,church ,,architecture ,,of ,,southern ,,france ,the best history of the ,middle ,ages is that suggested by their architectural remains4 ,that is1 if we want tangible or ocular demonstration1 which many of us do4 ,many of these remains are but indications of a grandeur that is past and a valour and a heroism that are gone2 but with the ,church alone are suggested the piety and devotion which still live1 at least to a far greater degree than many other sentiments and emotions2 which in their struggle to keep pace with progress have suffered1 or become effete by the way4 ,to the ,church1 then1 or rather religion--if the word be preferred--we are chiefly indebted for the preservation of these ancient records in stone4 ,ecclesiastical architecture led the way--there is no disputing that1 whatever opinions may otherwise be held by astute archologists1 historians1 and the antiquarians1 whose food is anything and everything so long as it reeks of antiquity4 ,the planning and building of a great church was no menial work4 ,chief dignitaries themselves frequently engaged in it3 the ,abbot ,suger1 the foremost architect of his time--prime minister and regent of the kingdom as he was--at ,st4 ,denis2 ,archbishop ,werner at ,strasbourg2 and ,william of ,wykeham in ,england1 to apportion such honours impartially4 ,gothic style appears to have turned its back on ,italy1 where1 in ,lombardy at all events1 were made exceedingly early attempts in this style4 ,this1 perhaps1 because of satisfying and enduring classical works which allowed no rivalry2 a state of affairs to some extent equally true of the south of ,france4 ,the route of expansion1 therefore1 was northward1 along the ,rhine1 into the ,isle of ,france1 to ,belgium1 and finally into ,england4 ,no more true or imaginative description of ,gothic forms has been put into literature than those lines of ,sir ,walter ,scott1 which define its characteristics thus3 444 ,whose pillars with clustered shafts so trim1 ,with base and capital flourished 'round1 ,seemed bundles of lances which garlands had bound4 ,in modern times1 even in ,france1 church-building neither aspired to1 nor achieved1 any great distinction4 ,since the ,concordat what have we had8 ,a few restorations1 which in so far as they were carried out in the spirit of the original were excellent2 a few added members1 as the west front and spires of ,st4 ,ouen at ,rouen2 the towers and western portal at ,clermont-,ferrand2 and a few other works of like magnitude and worth4 ,for the rest1 where anything of bulk was undertaken1 it was almost invariably a copy of a ,renaissance model1 and often a bad one at that2 or a descent to some hybrid thing worse even than in their own line were the frank mediocrities of the era of the ,citizen-,king1 or the plush and horsehair horrors of the ,second ,empire4 ,most characteristic1 and truly the most important of all1 are the remains of the ,gallo-,roman period4 ,these are the most notable and forceful reminders of the relative prominence obtained by medival pontiffs1 prelates1 and peoples4 ,these relations are further borne out by the frequent juxtaposition of ecclesiastical and civic institutions of the cities themselves1--fortifications1 palaces1 chteaux1 cathedrals1 and churches1 the former indicating no more a predominance of power than the latter4 ,a consideration of one1 without something more than mere mention of the other1 is not possible1 and incidentally--even for the church-lover--nothing can be more interesting than the great works of fortification--strong1 frowning1 and massive--as are yet to be seen at ,bziers1 ,carcassonne1 or ,avignon4 ,it was this latter city which sheltered within its outer walls that monumental reminder of the papal power which existed in this ,french capital of the ,church of ,rome--as it must still be called--in the fourteenth century4 ,to the stranger within the gates the unconscious resemblance between a castellated and battlemented feudal stronghold and the many churches1--and even certain cathedrals1 as at ,albi1 ,bziers1 or ,agde1--which were not unlike in their outline1 will present some confusion of ideas4 ,between a crenelated battlement or the machicolations of a city wall1 as at ,avignon2 or of a htel de ville1 as at ,narbonne2 or the same detail surmounting an episcopal residence1 as at ,albi1 which is a veritable donjon2 or the ,palais des ,papes1 is not a difference even of degree4 ,it is the same thing in each case4 ,in one instance1 however1 it may have been purely for defence1 and in the other used as a decorative accessory2 in the latter case it was no less useful when occasion required4 ,this feature throughout the south of ,france is far more common than in the north1 and is bound to be strongly remarked4 ,two great groups or divisions of architectural style are discernible throughout the south1 even by the most casual of observers4 ,one is the ,provenal variety1 which clings somewhat closely to the lower valley of the ,rhne2 and the other1 the ,aquitanian 7with possibly the more restricted ,auvergnian74 ,these types possess in common the one distinctive trait1 in some form or other1 of the round-arched vaulting of ,roman tradition4 ,it is hardly more than a reminiscence1 however1 and while not in any way resembling the northern ,gothic1 at least in the ,aquitanian species1 hovers on the borderland between the sunny south and the more frigid north4 ,the ,provenal type more nearly approximates the older ,roman1 and1 significantly1 it has--with less interpolation of modern ideas--endured the longest4 ,the ,aquitanian style of the cathedrals at ,prigueux and ,angoulme1 to specialize but two1 is supposed to--and it does truly--bridge the gulf between the round-arched style which is not ,roman and the more brilliant and graceful type of ,gothic4 ,with this manner of construction goes1 of course1 a somewhat different interior arrangement than that seen in the north4 ,a profound acquaintance with the subject will show that it bears a certain resemblance to the disposition of parts in an ,eastern mosque1 and to the earlier form of ,christian church--the basilica4 ,in this regard ,fergusson makes the statement without reservation that the ,eglise de ,souillac more nearly resembles the ,cairne type of ,mohammedan mosque than it does a ,christian church--of any era4 ,a distinct feature of this type is the massive pointed arch1 upon which so many have built their definition of ,gothic4 ,in truth1 though1 it differs somewhat from the northern ,gothic arch1 but is nevertheless very ancient4 ,it is used in early ,christian churches1--at ,acre and ,jaffa1--and was adopted1 too1 by the architects of the ,eastern ,empire long before its introduction into ,gaul4 ,the history of its transportation might be made interesting1 and surely instructive1 were one able to follow its orbit with any definite assurance that one was not wandering from the path4 ,this does not seem possible2 most experts1 real or otherwise1 who have tried it seem to flounder and finally fall in the effort to trace its history in consecutive and logical1 or even plausible1 fashion4 ,in illustration this is well shown by that wonderful and unique church of ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux1 where1 in a design simple to severity1 it shows its great unsimilarity to anything in other parts of ,france2 if we except ,la ,trinit at ,anjou1 with respect to its roofing and piers of nave4 ,it has been compared in general plan and outline to ,st4 ,marc's at ,venice1 but a ,st4 ,marc's stripped of its marbles and mosaics4 ,in the ,italian building its founders gathered their inspiration for many of its structural details from the old ,byzantine ,east4 ,at this time the ,venetians were pushing their commercial enterprises to all parts4 ,north-western ,france1 and ultimately the ,british ,isles1 was the end sought4 ,we know1 too1 that a colony of ,venetians had established itself as far northward as ,limoges1 and another at ,prigueux1 when1 in #ihd1 this edifice1 which might justly be called ,venetian in its plan1 was begun4 ,no such decoration or ornamentation was presumed as in its ,adriatic prototype1 but it had much beautiful carving in the capitals of its pillars and yet other embellishments1 such as pavements1 monuments1 and precious altars1 which once1 it is said1 existed more numerously than now4 ,here1 then1 was the foundation of a new western style1 differing in every respect from the ,provenal or the ,angevinian4 ,examples of the northern pointed or ,gothic are1 in a large way1 found as far south as ,bayonne in its cathedral2 in the spires of the cathedral at ,bordeaux2 and less grandly1 though elegantly1 disposed in ,st4 ,nazaire in the old ,cit de ,carcassonne2 and farther north at ,clermont-,ferrand1 where its northern-pointed cathedral is in strong contrast to the neighbouring ,notre ,dame du ,port1 a remarkable type distinctly local in its plan and details4 ,from this point onward1 it becomes not so much a question of defining and placing types1 as of a chronological arrangement of fact with regard to the activities of the art of church-building4 ,it is doubtless true that many of the works of the ninth and tenth centuries were but feeble imitations of the buildings of ,charlemagne1 but it is also true that the period was that which was bringing about the development of a more or less distinct style1 and if the ,romanesque churches of ,france were not wholly ,roman in spirit they were at least not a debasement therefrom4 ,sir ,walter ,scott has also described the ,romanesque manner of church-building most poetically1 as witness the following quatrain3 ,built ere the art was known ,by pointed aisle and shafted stalk ,the arcades of an alleyed walk ,to emulate in stone4 ,however1 little remains in church architecture of the pre-tenth century to compare with the grand theatres1 arenas1 monuments1 arches1 towers1 and bridges which are still left to us4 ,hence comparison were futile4 ,furthermore1 there is this patent fact to be reckoned with1 that the petty followers of the magnificent ,charlemagne were not endowed with as luxurious a taste1 as large a share of riches1 or so great a power2 and naturally they fell before the idea they would have emulated4 ,as a whole ,france was at this period amid great consternation and bloodshed1 and traces of advancing civilization were fast falling before wars and cruelties unspeakable4 ,there came a period when the intellect1 instead of pursuing its rise1 was1 in reality1 degenerating into the darkness of superstition4 ,the church architecture of this period--so hostile to the arts and general enlightenment--was undergoing a process even more fatal to its development than the terrors of war or devastation4 ,it is a commonplace perhaps to repeat that it was the superstition aroused by the ,apocalypse that the end of all things would come with the commencement of the eleventh century4 ,it was this1 however1 that produced the stagnation in church-building which even the ardour of a few believing churchmen could not allay4 ,the only great religious foundation of the time was the ,abbey of ,cluny in the early years of the tenth century4 ,when the eleventh century actually arrived1 ,christians again bestirred themselves1 and the various cities and provinces vied with each other in their enthusiastic devotion to church-building1 as if to make up for lost time4 ,from this time onward the art of church-building gave rise to that higher skill and handicraft1 the practice of architecture as an art1 of which ecclesiastical art1 as was but natural1 rose to the greatest height4 ,the next century was productive of but little change in style1 and1 though in the north the transition and the most primitive of ,gothic were slowly creeping in1 the well-defined transition did not come until well forward in the twelfth century1 when1 so soon after1 the new style bloomed forth in all its perfected glory4 ,the cathedrals of southern ,france are manifestly not as lively and vigorous as those at ,reims1 ,amiens1 or ,rouen2 none have the splendour and vast extent of old glass as at ,chartres1 and none of the smaller examples equal the symmetry and delicacy of those at ,noyon or ,senlis4 ,some there be1 however1 which for magnificence and impressiveness take rank with the most notable of any land4 ,this is true of those of ,albi1 ,le ,puy1 ,prigueux1 and ,angoulme4 ,avignon1 too1 in the ensemble of its cathedral and the papal palace1 forms an architectural grouping that is hardly rivalled by ,st4 ,peter's and the ,vatican itself4 ,in many of the cities of the south of ,france the memory of the past1 with respect to their cathedrals1 is overshadowed by that of their secular and civic monuments1 the ,roman arenas1 theatres1 and temples4 ,at ,nmes1 ,arles1 ,orange1 and ,vienne these far exceed in importance and beauty the religious establishments4 ,the monasteries1 abbeys1 and priories of the south of ,france are perhaps not more numerous1 nor yet more grand1 than elsewhere1 but they bring one to-day into more intimate association with their past4 ,the ,gallia-,monasticum enumerates many score of these establishments as having been situated in these parts4 ,many have passed away1 but many still exist4 ,among the first of their kind were those founded by ,st4 ,hilaire at ,poitiers and ,st4 ,martin at ,tours4 ,the great ,burgundian pride was the ,abbey of ,cluny2 much the largest and perhaps as grand as any erected in any land4 ,its church covered over seventy thousand square feet of area1 nearly equalling in size the cathedrals at ,amiens and at ,bourges1 and larger than either those at ,chartres1 ,paris1 or ,reims4 ,this great church was begun in #ajhi1 was dedicated in #aaca1 and endured for more than seven centuries4 ,to-day but a few small fragments remain1 but note should be made of the influences which spread from this great monastic establishment throughout all ,europe2 and were second only to those of ,rome itself4 ,the lovely cloistered remains of ,provence1 ,auvergne1 and ,aquitaine1 the comparatively modern ,charterhouse--called reminiscently the ,escurial of ,dauphin--near ,grenoble1 the communistic church of ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges1 ,la ,chaise ,dieu1 ,clairvaux1 and innumerable other abbeys and monasteries will recall to mind more forcibly than aught else what their power must once have been4 ,between the seventh and tenth centuries these institutions flourished and developed in all of the provinces which go to make up modern ,france4 ,but the eleventh and twelfth centuries were the golden days of these institutions4 ,they rendered unto the land and the people immense service1 and their monks studied not only the arts and sciences1 but worked with profound intelligence at all manner of utile labour4 ,their architecture exerted a considerable influence on this growing art of the nation1 and many of their grand churches were but the forerunners of cathedrals yet to be4 ,after the twelfth century1 when the arts in ,france had reached the greatest heights yet attained1 these religious establishments were--to give them historical justice--the greatest strength in the land4 ,in most cases where the great cathedrals were not the works of bishops1 who may at one time have been members of monastic communities themselves1 they were the results of the efforts of laymen who were direct disciples of the architect monks4 ,the most prolific monastic architect was undoubtedly ,st4 ,bnigne of ,dijon1 the ,italian monk whose work was spread not only throughout ,brittany and ,normandy1 but even across the ,channel to ,england4 ,one is reminded in ,france that the nation's first art expression was made through church-building and decoration4 ,this proves ,ruskin's somewhat involved dicta1 that1 architecture is the art which disposes and adorns the edifices raised by man 444 a building raised to the honour of ,god has surely a use to which its architectural adornment fits it4 ,from whatever remote period the visible history of ,france has sprung1 it is surely from its architectural remains--of which religious edifices have endured the most abundantly--that its chronicles since ,gallo-,roman times are built up4 ,in the south of ,france1 from the ,gallic and ,roman wars and invasions1 we have a basis of tangibility1 inasmuch as the remains are more numerous and definite than the mere pillars of stone and slabs of rock to be found in ,bretagne1 which apocryphally are supposed to indicate an earlier civilization4 ,the menhirs and dolmens may mean much or little2 the subject is too vague to follow here1 but they are not found east of the ,rhne1 so the religion of fanaticism1 of whatever species of fervour they may have resulted from1 has left very little impress on ,france as a nation4 ,after the rudest early monuments were erected in the south1 became ruined1 and fell1 there followed gateways1 arches1 aqueducts1 arenas1 theatres1 temples1 and1 finally1 churches2 and from these1 however minute the stones1 the later civilizing and ,christianizing history of this fair land is built up4 ,it is not possible to ignore these secular and worldly contemporaries of the great churches4 ,it would be fatal to simulate blindness1 and they could not otherwise be overlooked4 ,after the church-building era was begun1 the development of the various styles was rapid3 ,gothic came1 bloomed1 flourished1 and withered away4 ,then came the ,renaissance1 not all of it bad1 but in the main entirely unsuitable as a type of ,christian architecture4 ,charles ,,viii4 is commonly supposed to have been the introducer of the ,italian ,renaissance into ,france1 but it was to ,francois ,i4--that great artistic monarch and glorifier of the style in its domestic forms at least--that its popularization was due1 who shall not say far beyond its deserts8 ,only in the magnificent chteaux1 variously classed as ,feudal1 ,renaissance1 and ,bourbon1 did it partake of details and plans which proved glorious in their application4 ,all had distinctly inconsistent details grafted upon them2 how could it have been otherwise with the various fortunes of their houses8 ,there is little or nothing of ,gothic in the chteau architecture of ,france to distinguish it from the more pronounced type which can hardly be expressed otherwise than as the architecture of the ,french chteaux4 ,no single word will express it1 and no one type will cover them all1 so far as defining their architectural style4 ,the castle at ,tarascon has a machicolated battlement2 ,coucy and ,pierrefonds are towered and turreted as only a ,french chteau can be2 the ruined and black-belted chteau of ,angers is aught but a fortress2 and ,blois is an indescribable mixture of style which varies from the magnificent to the sordid4 ,this last has ever been surrounded by a sentiment which is perhaps readily enough explained1 but its architecture is of that decidedly mixed type which classes it as a mere hybrid thing1 and in spite of the splendour of the additions by the houses of the ,salamander and the ,hedgehog1 it is a species which is as indescribable 7though more effective7 in domestic architecture as is the ,tudor of ,england4 ,with the churches the sentiments aroused are somewhat different4 ,the ,romanesque1 ,provenal1 ,auvergnian1 or ,aquitanian1 all bespeak the real expression of the life of the time1 regardless of whether individual examples fall below or rise above their contemporaries elsewhere4 ,the assertion is here confidently made1 that a great cathedral church is1 next to being a symbol of the faith1 more great as a monument to its age and environment than as the product of its individual builders2 crystallizing in stone the regard with which the mission of the ,church was held in the community4 ,church-building was never a fanaticism1 though it was often an enthusiasm4 ,there is no question but that church history in general1 and church architecture in particular1 are becoming less and less the sole pursuit of the professional4 ,one does not need to adopt a transcendent doctrine by merely taking an interest1 or an intelligent survey1 in the social and political aspects of the ,church as an institution1 nor is he becoming biassed or prejudiced by a true appreciation of the symbolism and artistic attributes which have ever surrounded the art of church-building of the ,roman ,catholic ,church4 ,all will admit that the sthetic aspect of the church edifice has always been the superlative art expression of its era1 race1 and locality4 ,,part ,,ii ,south of the ,loire ,i ,,introductory ,the region immediately to the southward of the ,loire valley is generally accounted the most fertile1 abundant1 and prosperous section of ,france4 ,certainly the food1 drink1 and shelter of all classes appear to be arranged on a more liberal scale than elsewhere2 and this1 be it understood1 is a very good indication of the prosperity of a country4 ,touraine1 with its luxurious sentiment of chteaux1 counts1 and bishops1 is manifestly of the north1 as also is the border province of ,maine and ,anjou1 which marks the progress and development of church-building from the manifest ,romanesque types of the south to the arched vaults of the northern variety4 ,immediately to the southward--if one journeys but a few leagues--in ,poitou1 ,saintonge1 and ,angoumois1 or in the east1 in ,berri1 ,marche1 and ,limousin1 one comes upon a very different sentiment indeed4 ,there is an abundance for all1 but without the opulence of ,burgundy or the splendour of ,touraine4 ,of the three regions dealt with in this section1 ,poitou is the most prosperous1 ,auvergne the most picturesque1--though the ,cevennes are stern and sterile1--and ,limousin the least appealing4 ,limousin and1 in some measure1 ,berri and ,marche are purely pastoral2 and1 though greatly diversified as to topography1 lack1 in abundance1 architectural monuments of the first rank4 ,poitou1 in the west1 borders upon the ocean and is to a great extent wild1 rugged1 and romantic4 ,the forest region of the ,bocage has ever been a theme for poets and painters4 ,in the extreme west of the province is the ,vende1 now the department of the same name4 ,the struggles of its inhabitants on behalf of the monarchical cause1 in the early years of the ,revolution1 is a lurid page of blood-red history that recalls one of the most gallant struggles in the life of the monarchy4 ,the people here were hardy and vigorous1--a race of landlords who lived largely upon their own estates but still retained an attachment for the feudatories round about1 a feeling which was unknown elsewhere in ,france4 ,poitiers1 on the river ,clain1 a tributary of the ,vienne1 is the chief city of ,poitou4 ,its eight magnificent churches are greater1 in the number and extent of their charms1 than any similar octette elsewhere4 ,the valley of the ,charente waters a considerable region to the southward of ,poitiers4 ,le bon ,roi ,henri ,,iv4 called the stream the most charming in all his kingdom4 ,the chief cities on its banks are ,la ,rochelle1 the ,huguenot stronghold2 ,rochefort1 famed in worldly fashion for its cheeses2 and ,angoulme1 famed for its ,duchesse1 who was also worldly1 and more particularly for its great domed cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre4 ,with ,auvergne one comes upon a topographical aspect quite different from anything seen elsewhere4 ,most things of this world are but comparative1 and so with ,auvergne4 ,it is picturesque1 certainly4 ,le ,puy has indeed been called by one who knows1 the most picturesque place in the world4 ,clermont-,ferrand is almost equally attractive as to situation2 while ,puy de ,dme1 ,riom1 and ,st4 ,nectaire form a trio of naturally picturesque topographical features which it would be hard to equal within so small a radius elsewhere4 ,the country round about is volcanic1 and the face of the landscape shows it plainly4 ,clermont-,ferrand1 the capital1 was a populous city in ,roman times1 and was the centre from which the spirit of the ,church survived and went forth anew after five consecutive centuries of devastation and bloodshed of ,vandals1 ,visigoths1 ,franks1 ,saracens1 ,carlovingians and ,capetians4 ,puy de ,dme1 near ,clermont-,ferrand1 is a massive rocky mount which rises nearly five thousand feet above the sea-level1 and presents one of those uncommon and curious sights which one can hardly realize until he comes immediately beneath their spell4 ,throughout this region are many broken volcanic craters and lava streams4 ,at ,mont ,dor-le-,bains are a few remains of a ,roman thermal establishment2 an indication that these early settlers found--if they did not seek--these warm springs of a unique quality1 famous yet throughout the world4 ,an alleged ,druid's altar1 more probably merely a dolmen1 is situated near ,st4 ,nectaire1 a small watering-place which is also possessed of an impressively simple1 though massive1 ,romanesque church4 ,at ,issiore is the ,eglise de ,st4 ,pol1 a large and important church1 built in the eleventh century1 in the ,romanesque manner4 ,another most interesting great church is ,la ,chaise ,dieu near ,le ,puy1 a remarkable construction of the fourteenth century4 ,it was originally the monastery of the ,casa ,dei4 ,it has been popularly supposed heretofore that its floor was on a level with the summit of ,puy de ,dme1 hence its appropriate nomenclature2 latterly the assertion has been refuted1 as it may be by any one who takes the trouble to compare the respective elevations in figures4 ,this imposing church ranks1 however1 unreservedly among the greatest of the medival monastic establishments of ,france4 ,the powerful feudal system of the ,middle ,ages1 which extended from the ,atlantic and ,german ,oceans nearly to the ,neapolitan and ,spanish borders--afterward carried still farther into ,naples and ,britain--finds its most important and striking monument of central ,france in the ,chteau of ,polignac1 only a few miles from ,le ,puy4 ,this to-day is but a ruin1 but it rises boldly from a depressed valley1 and suggests in every way--ruin though it be--the medival stronghold that it once was4 ,originally it was the seat of the distinguished family whose name it bears4 ,the ,revolution practically destroyed it1 but such as is left shows completely the great extent of its functions both as a fortress and a palace4 ,these elements were made necessary by long ages of warfare and discord1--local in many cases1 but none the less bloodthirsty for that1--and while such institutions naturally promulgated the growth of ,feudalism which left these massive and generous memorials1 it is hard to see1 even to-day1 how else the end might have been obtained4 ,auvergne1 according to ,fergusson1 who in his fact has seldom been found wanting1 has one of the most beautiful and numerous of the 'round-,gothic' styles in ,france 444 classed among the perfected styles of ,europe4 ,immediately to the southward of ,le ,puy is that marvellous country known as the ,cevennes4 ,it has been commonly called sterile1 bare1 unproductive1 and much that is less charitable as criticism4 ,it is not very productive1 to be sure1 but a native of the land once delivered himself of this remark3 ,le mrier a t pendant longtemps l'arbre d'or du ,cevenol4 ,this is prima-facie evidence that the first statement was a libel4 ,in the latter years of the eighteenth century the ,protestants of the ,cevennes were a large and powerful body of dissenters4 ,a curious work in ,english1 written by a native of ,languedoc in #agjc1 states that they were at least ten to one ,papist4 ,and 'twas observed1 in many ,places1 the ,priest said mass only for his ,clerk1 ,himself1 and the ,walls4 ,these people were not only valiant but industrious1 and at that time held the most considerable trade in wool of all ,france4 ,to quote again this eighteenth-century ,languedocian1 who aspired to be a writer of ,english1 we learn3 ,god vouchsafed to ,illuminate this ,people with the ,truths of the ,gospel1 several ,ages before the ,reformation4444 ,the ,waldenses and ,albigenses fled into the ,mountains to escape the violence of the ,crusades against them4444 ,cruel persecution did not so wholly extinguish the ,sacred ,light in the ,cevennes1 but that some parts of it were preserved among its ,ashes4 ,as early as #afhc the ,protestants in many parts of southern ,france drew up a ,project of non-compliance with the ,edicts and ,declarations against them4 ,the inhabitants in general1 however1 of the wealthy cities of ,montpellier1 ,nmes and ,uzs were divided much as factions are to-day1 and the ,papist preference prevailing1 the scheme was not put into execution4 ,because of this1 attempted resistance was made only in some parts of the ,cevennes and ,dauphin4 ,here the dissenters met with comfort and assurance by the preachings of several ministers1 and finally sought to go out proselytizing among their outside brethren in affliction4 ,this brought martyrdom1 oppression1 and bloodshed2 and finally culminated in a long series of massacres4 ,children in large numbers were taken from their parents1 and put under the ,romish faith1 as a precaution1 presumably1 that future generations should be more tractable and faithful4 ,it is told of the ,bishop of ,alais that upon visiting the cur at ,vigan1 he desired that forty children should be so put away1 forthwith4 ,the cur could find but sixteen who were not dutiful toward the ,church1 but the bishop would have none of it4 ,forty was his quota from that village1 and forty must be found4 ,forty were found1 the rest being made up from those who presumably stood in no great need of the care of the ,church1 beyond such as already came into their daily lives4 ,it seems outrageous and unfair at this late day1 leaving all question of ,church and creed outside the pale1 but most machination of arbitrary law and ruling works the same way1 and pity 'tis that the ,church should not have been the first to recognize this tendency4 ,however1 these predilections on the part of the people are scarcely more than a memory to-day1 in spite of the fact that ,protestantism still holds forth in many parts4 ,taine was undoubtedly right when he said that it was improbable that such a religion would ever satisfy the ,french temperament4 ,limousin partakes of many of the characteristics of ,auvergne and ,poitou4 ,its architectural types favour the latter1 and its topographical features the former4 ,the resemblance is not so very great in either case1 but it is to be remarked4 ,its chief city1 ,limoges1 lies to the northward of the ,montagnes du ,limousin1 on the banks of the ,vienne1 which1 through the ,loire1 enters the ,atlantic at ,st4 ,nazaire4 ,in a way1 its topographical situation1 as above noted1 accounts far more for its tendencies of life1 the art expression of its churches1 and its ancient enamels and pottery of to-day1 than does its climatic situation4 ,it is climatically of the southland1 but its industry and its influences have been greatly northern4 ,with the surrounding country this is not true1 but with its one centre of population--,limoges--it is4 ,,ii ,l',,abbaye ,,de ,,maillezais ,maillezais is but a memory1 so far as its people and power are concerned4 ,it is not even a ,vendean town1 as many suppose1 though it was the seat of a thirteenth-century bishopric1 which in the time of ,louis ,quatorze was transferred to ,la ,rochelle4 ,its abbey church1 the oldest portion of which dates from the tenth to the twelfth centuries1 is now but a ruin4 ,in the fourteenth century the establishment was greatly enlarged and extensive buildings added4 ,to-day it is classed1 by the ,commission des ,monuments ,historiques1 among those treasures for which it stands sponsor as to their antiquity1 artistic worth1 and future preservation4 ,aside from this and the record of the fact that it became1 in the fourteenth century1 the seat of a bishop's throne1--with ,geoffroy ,i4 as its first occupant1--it must be dismissed without further comment4 ,illustration ,,iii ,,st4 ,,louis ,,de ,,la ,,rochelle ,the city of ,la ,rochelle will have more interest for the lover of history than for the lover of churches4 ,its past has been lurid1 and the momentous question of the future rights of the ,protestants of ,france made this natural stronghold the battle-ground where the most stubborn resistance against ,church and ,state was made4 ,the siege of #aegc was unsuccessful4 ,but a little more than half a century later the city1 after a siege of fourteen months1 gave way before the powerful force brought against it by ,cardinal ,richelieu in person1 supported by ,louis ,,xiii4 ,for this reason1 if for no other1 he who would know from personal acquaintance the ground upon which the mighty battles of the faith were fought will not pass the ,huguenot city quickly by4 ,the ,huguenot stronghold of ,la ,rochelle naturally might not be supposed to possess a very magnificent ,roman cathedral4 ,as a matter of fact it does not1 and it has only ranked as a cathedral city since #affe1 when the bishopric was transferred from ,maillezais4 ,the city was in the hands of the ,huguenots from #aeeg until the siege of #afbh-afbi2 and was1 during all this time1 the bulwark of the ,protestant cause in ,france4 ,the present cathedral of ,st4 ,louis dates only from #agce4 ,its pseudo-classic features classify it as one of those structures designated by the discerning ,abb ,bourass as being cold-blooded and lacking in lustre4 ,it surely is all of that1 and the pity is that it offers no charm whatever of either shape or feature4 ,it is of course more than likely that ,huguenot influence was here so great as to have strangled any ambition on the part of the medival builders to have erected previously anything more imposing4 ,and when that time was past came also the demise of ,gothic splendour4 ,the transition from the pointed to the superimposed classical details1 which was the distinctive ,renaissance manner of church-building1 was not as sudden as many suppose1 though it came into being simultaneously throughout the land4 ,there is no trace1 however1 in the cathedral of ,st4 ,louis1 of anything but a base descent to features only too well recognized as having little of churchly mien about them2 and truly this structure is no better or worse as an art object than many others of its class4 ,the significant aspect being that1 though it resembles ,gothic not at all1 neither does it bear any close relationship to the ,romanesque4 ,the former parish church of ,st4 ,barthlemy1 long since destroyed1 has left behind1 as a memory of its former greatness1 a single lone tower1 the work of a ,cluniac monk1 ,mognon by name4 ,it is worth hours of contemplation and study as compared with the minutes which could profitably be devoted to the cathedral of ,st4 ,louis4 ,illustration ,,iv ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,lu,,on ,when the see of ,luon was established in the fourteenth century it comprehended a territory over which ,poitiers had previously had jurisdiction4 ,a powerful abbey was here in the seventh century1 but the first bishop1 ,pierre de la ,veyrie1 did not come to the diocese until #acag4 ,the real fame of the diocese1 in modern minds1 lies in the fact that ,cardinal ,richelieu was made bishop of ,luon in the seventeenth century 7#afjf to #afbd74 ,the cathedral at ,luon is a remarkable structure in appearance4 ,a hybrid conglomerate thing1 picturesque enough to the untrained eye1 but ill-proportioned1 weak1 effeminate1 and base4 ,its graceful ,gothic spire1 crocketed1 and of true dwindling dimensions1 is superimposed on a tower which looks as though it might have been modelled with a series of children's building-blocks4 ,this in its turn crowns a classical portal and colonnade in most uncanny fashion4 ,in the first stage of this tower1 as it rises above the portal1 is what1 at a distance1 appears to be a diminutive rosace4 ,in reality it is an enormous clock-face1 to which one's attention is invariably directed by the native1 a species of local admiration which is universal throughout the known world wherever an ungainly clock exists4 ,the workmanship of the building as a whole is of every century from the twelfth to the seventeenth1 with a complete restoration in #ahec4 ,in the episcopal palace is a cloistered arcade1 the remains of a fifteenth-century work4 ,a rather pleasing situation sets off this pretentious but unworthy cathedral in a manner superior to that which it deserves4 ,illustration ,v ,,st4 ,,front ,,de ,p,,rigueux ,the grandest and most notable tenth-century church yet remaining in ,france is unquestionably that of ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux4 ,from the records of its history and a study of its distinctive constructive elements has been traced the development of the transition period which ultimately produced the ,gothic splendours of the ,isle of ,france4 ,it is more than reminiscent of ,st4 ,marc's at ,venice1 and is the most notable exponent of that type of roofing which employed the cupola in groups1 to sustain the thrust and counterthrust1 which was afterward accomplished by the ogival arch in conjunction with the flying buttress4 ,here are comparatively slight sustaining walls1 and accordingly no great roofed-over chambers such as we get in the later ,gothic1 but the whole mass is1 in spite of this1 suggestive of a massiveness which many more heavily walled churches do not possess4 ,paradoxically1 too1 a view over its roof-top1 with its ranges of egg-like domes1 suggests a frailty which but for its scientifically disposed strains would doubtless have collapsed ere now4 ,this ancient abbatial church succeeded an earlier basilique on the same site4 ,viollet-le-,duc says of it3 ,it is an importation from a foreign country2 the most remarkable example of church-building in ,gaul since the barbaric invasion4 ,the plan of the cathedral follows not only the form of ,st4 ,marc's1 but also approximates its dimensions4 ,the remains of the ancient basilica are only to be remarked in the portion which precedes the foremost cupola4 ,st4 ,front has the unusual attribute of an avant-porch1--a sort of primitive narthen1 as was a feature of tenth-century buildings 7see plan and descriptions of a tenth-century church in appendix71 behind which is a second porch1--a vestibule beneath the tower1--and finally the first of the group1 of five central cupolas4 ,the clocher or belfry of ,st4 ,front is accredited as being one of the most remarkable eleventh-century erections of its kind in any land4 ,it is made up of square stages1 each smaller than the other1 and crowned finally by a conic cupola4 ,its early inception and erection here are supposed to account for the similarity of others--not so magnificent1 but like to a marked degree--in the neighbouring provinces4 ,here is no trace of the piled-up tabouret style of later centuries1 and it is far removed from the mosque-like minarets which were the undoubted prototypes of the medival clochers4 ,so1 too1 it is different1 quite1 from the ,italian campanile or the beffroi which crept into civic architecture in the north2 but whose sole example in the south of ,france is believed to be that curious structure which still holds forth in the papal city of ,avignon4 ,says ,bourass3 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux is unique4 ,its foundation dates with certitude from between #ajaj and #ajdg1 and is therefore contemporary with that of ,st4 ,marc's at ,venice--which it so greatly resembles--which was rebuilt after a fire between #igg and #ajga4 ,illustration3 ,detail of the ,interior of ,st4 ,front de ,prigueux ,the general effect of the interior is as impressive as it is unusual1 with its lofty cupolas1 its weighty and gross pillars1 and its massive arches between the cupolas2 all of which are purely constructive elements4 ,there are few really ornamental details1 and such as exist are of a severe and unprogressive type1 being merely reminiscent of the antique4 ,in its general plan1 ,st4 ,front follows that of a ,grecian cross1 its twelve wall-faces crowned by continuous pediments4 ,eight massive pillars1 whose functions are those of the later developed buttress1 flank the extremities of the cross1 and are crowned by pyramidal cupolas which1 with the main roofing1 combine to give that distinctive character to this unusual and foreign cathedral of mid-,france4 ,st4 ,front1 from whom the cathedral takes its name1 became the first bishop of ,prigueux when the see was founded in the second century4 ,,vi ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,poitiers ,,in #acag the diocese of ,poitiers was divided1 and parts apportioned to the newly founded bishoprics of ,maillezais and ,luon4 ,the first bishop of ,poitiers was ,st4 ,nectaire1 in the third century4 ,by virtue of the ,concordat of #ahja the diocese now comprehends the ,departments of ,vienne and ,deux-,svres4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre de ,poitiers has been baldly and tersely described as a mere ,lombard shell with a ,gothic porch4 ,this hardly does it justice1 even as to preciseness4 ,the easterly portion is ,lombard1 without question1 and the nave is of the northern pointed variety2 a not unusual admixture of feature1 but one which can but suggest that still more1 much more1 is behind it4 ,the pointed nave is of great beauty1 and1 in the westerly end1 contains an elaborate rosace--an infrequent attribute in these parts4 ,illustration3 ,poitiers ,the aisles are of great breadth1 and are quite as lofty in proportion4 ,this produces an effect of great amplitude1 nearly as much so as of the great halled churches at ,albi or the aisleless ,st4 ,andr at ,bordeaux1 and contrasts forcibly in majesty with the usual ,gothic conception of great height1 as against extreme width4 ,of ,poitiers ,professor ,freeman says3 ,it is no less a city of counts than ,angers2 and if ,counts of ,anjou grew into ,kings of ,england1 one ,countess of ,poitiers grew no less into a ,queen of ,england2 and when the young ,henry took her to wife1 he took all ,poitou with her1 and ,aquitaine and ,gascogne1 too1 so great was his desire for lands and power4 ,leaving that aspect apart--to the historians and apologists--it is the churches of ,poitiers which have for the traveller the greatest and all-pervading interest4 ,poitiers is justly famed for its noble and numerous medival church edifices4 ,five of them rank as a unique series of ,romanesque types--the most precious in all ,france4 ,in importance they are perhaps best ranked as follows3 ,st4 ,hilaire1 of the tenth and eleventh centuries2 the ,baptistre1 or the ,temple ,st4 ,jean1 of the fourth to twelfth centuries2 ,notre ,dame de la ,grande and ,st4 ,radegonde1 of the eleventh and twelfth centuries2 and ,la ,cathdrale1 dating from the end of the ,romanesque period4 ,together they present a unique series of magnificent churches1 as is truly claimed4 ,when one crosses the ,loire1 he crosses the boundary not only into southern ,gaul but into southern ,europe as well2 where the very aspects of life1 as well as climatic and topographical conditions and features1 are far different from those of the northern ,french provinces4 ,looking backward from the ,middle ,ages--from the fourteenth century to the fourth--one finds the city less a city of counts than of bishops4 ,another aspect which places ,poitiers at the very head of ecclesiastical foundations is that it sustained1 and still sustains1 a separate religious edifice known as the ,baptistre4 ,it is here a structure of ,christian-,roman times1 and is a feature seldom seen north of the ,alps1 or even out of ,italy4 ,there is1 however1 another example at ,le ,puy and another at ,aix-en-,provence4 ,this ,baptistre de ,st4 ,jean was founded during the reign of ,st4 ,hilaire as bishop of ,poitiers1 a prelate whose name still lives in the glise ,st4 ,hilaire-le-,grand4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre is commonly classed under the generic style of ,romanesque2 more particularly it is of the ,lombard variety1 if such a distinction can be made between the two species with surety4 ,at all events it marks the dividing-line--or period1 when the process of evolution becomes most marked--between the almost pagan plan of many early ,christian churches and the coming of ,gothic4 ,in spite of its prominence and its beauty with regard to its accessories1 ,st4 ,pierre de ,poitiers does not immediately take rank as the most beautiful1 nor yet the most interesting1 among the churches of the city3 neither has it the commanding situation of certain other cathedrals of the neighbouring provinces1 such as ,notre ,dame at ,le ,puy1 ,st4 ,maurice at ,angers1 or ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux4 ,in short1 as to situation1 it just misses what otherwise might have been a commanding location4 ,st4 ,radegonde overhangs the river ,clain1 but is yet far below the cathedral1 which stands upon the eastern flank of an eminence1 and from many points is lost entirely to view4 ,from certain distant vantage-ground1 the composition is1 however1 as complete and imposing an ensemble as might be desired1 but decidedly the nearer view is not so pleasing1 and somewhat mitigates the former estimate4 ,there is a certain uncouthness in the outlines of this church that does not bring it into competition with that class of the great churches of ,france known as les grandes cathdrales4 ,the general outline of the roof--omitting of course the scanty transepts--is very reminiscent of ,bourges2 and again of ,albi4 ,the ridge-pole is broken1 however1 by a slight differentiation of height between the choir and the nave1 and the westerly towers scarcely rise above the roof itself4 ,the easterly termination is decidedly unusual1 even unto peculiarity4 ,it is not1 after the ,english manner1 of the squared east-end variety1 nor yet does it possess an apse of conventional form1 but rather is a combination of the two widely differing styles1 with considerably more than a suggested apse when viewed from the interior1 and merely a flat bare wall when seen from the outside4 ,in addition three diminutive separate apses are attached thereto1 and present in the completed arrangement a variation or species which is distinctly local4 ,the present edifice dates from #aafb1 its construction being largely due to the ,countess ,eleanor1 queen to the young ,earl ,henry4 ,the high altar was dedicated in #aaii1 but the choir itself was not finished until a half-century later4 ,there is no triforium or clerestory1 and1 but for the aisles1 the cathedral would approximate the dimensions and interior outlines of that great chambered church at ,albi2 as it is1 it comes well within the classification called by the ,germans hallenkirche4 ,professor ,freeman has said that a church that has aisles can hardly be called a typical ,angevin church2 but ,st4 ,pierre de ,poitiers is distinctly ,angevin in spite of the loftiness of its walls and pillars4 ,the west front is the most elaborate constructive element and is an addition of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 with flanking towers of the same period which stand well forward and to one side1 as at ,rouen1 and at ,wells1 in ,england4 ,the western doorway is decorated with sculptures of the fifteenth century1 in a manner which somewhat suggests the work of the northern builders2 who1 says ,fergusson1 were aiding the bishops of the southern dioceses to emulate in some degree the ambitious works of the ,isle of ,france4 ,the ground-plan of this cathedral is curious1 and shows1 in its interior arrangements1 a narrowing or drawing in of parts toward the east4 ,this is caused mostly by the decreasing effect of height between the nave and choir1 and the fact that the attenuated transepts are hardly more than suggestions--occupying but the width of one bay4 ,the nave of eight bays and the aisles are of nearly equal height1 which again tends to produce an effect of length4 ,there is painted glass of the thirteenth century in small quantity1 and a much larger amount of an eighteenth-century product1 which shows--as always--the decadence of the art4 ,of this glass1 that of the rosace at the westerly end is perhaps the best1 judging from the minute portions which can be seen peeping out from behind the organ-case4 ,the present high altar is a modern work1 as also--comparatively--are the tombs of various churchmen which are scattered throughout the nave and choir4 ,in the sacristy1 access to which is gained by some mystic rite not always made clear to the visitor1 are supposed to be a series of painted portraits of all the former bishops of ,poitiers1 from the fourteenth century onward4 ,it must be an interesting collection if the outsider could but judge for himself2 as things now are1 it has to be taken on faith4 ,a detail of distinct value1 and a feature which shows a due regard for the abilities of the master workman who built the cathedral1 though his name is unknown1 is to be seen in the tympana of the canopies which overhang the stalls of the choir4 ,here is an acknowledgment--in a tangible if not a specific form--of the architectural genius who was responsible for the construction of this church4 ,it consists of a sculptured figure in stone1 which bears in its arms a compass and a ,t square4 ,this suggests the possible connection between the ,masonic craft and church-building of the ,middle ,ages2 a subject which has ever been a vexed question among antiquaries1 and one which doubtless ever will be4 ,the episcopal residence adjoins the cathedral on the right1 and the charming ,baptistre ,st4 ,jean is also close to the walls of1 but quite separate from1 the main building of the cathedral4 ,the other architectural attractions of ,poitiers are nearly as great as its array of churches4 ,the ,muse is exceedingly rich in archological treasures4 ,the present-day ,palais de ,justice was the former palace of the ,counts of ,poitou4 ,it has a grand chamber in its ,salle des ,pas-perdus1 which dates from the twelfth to fourteenth centuries as to its decorations4 ,the ramparts of the city are exceedingly interesting and extensive4 ,in the modern htel de ville are a series of wall decorations by ,puvis de ,chavannes4 ,the ,htel d',aquitaine 7sixteenth century71 in the ,grand ,rue1 was the former residence of the ,priors of ,st4 ,john of ,jerusalem4 ,the ,chronique de ,maillezais tells of a former bishop of ,poitiers who1 about the year #aaad1 sought to excommunicate that gay prince and poet1 ,william1 the ninth ,count of ,poitiers1 the earliest of that race of poets known as the troubadours4 ,coming into the count's presence to repeat the formula of excommunication1 he was threatened with the sword of that gay prince4 ,thinking better1 however1 the count admonished him thus3 ,no1 ,i will not4 ,i do not love you well enough to send you to paradise4 ,he took upon himself1 though1 to exercise his royal prerogative2 and henceforth1 for his rash edict1 the bishop of ,poitiers was banished for ever1 and the see descended unto other hands4 ,the generally recognized reputation of ,william being that of a grand trompeur des dames1 this action was but a duty which the honest prelate was bound to perform1 disastrous though the consequences might be4 ,still he thought not of that1 and was not willing to accept palliation for the count's venial sins in the shape of that nobleman's capacities as the first chanter of his time1--poetic measures of doubtful morality4 ,,vii ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,limoges ,les ,limosinats leave their cities poor1 and they return poor1 after long years of labour4 --,,de ,,la ,b,,dolliere4 ,limoges was the capital around which centred the life and activities of the pays du ,limousin when that land marked the limits of the domain of the ,kings of ,france4 7,guienne then being under other domination47 ,the most ancient inhabitants of the province were known as ,lemovices1 but the transition and evolution of the vocable are easily followed to that borne by the present city of ,limoges1 perhaps best known of art lovers as the home of that school of fifteenth century artists who produced the beautiful works called ,emaux de ,limoges4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,etienne de ,limoges ,the earliest specimens of what has come to be popularly known as ,limoges enamel date from the twelfth century2 and the last of the great masters in the splendid art died in #agfe4 ,the real history of this truly great art1 which may be said to have taken its highest forms in ecclesiology1--of which examples are frequently met with in the sacristies of the cathedral churches of ,france and elsewhere--is vague to the point of obscurity4 ,a study of the subject1 deep and profound1 is the only process by which one can acquire even a nodding acquaintance with all its various aspects4 ,it reached its greatest heights in the reign of that artistic monarch1 ,franois ,i4 ,to-day the memory and suggestion of the art of the enamelists of ,limoges are perpetuated by1 and1 through those cursory mentors1 the guide-books and popular histories1 often confounded with1 the production of porcelain4 ,this industry not only flourishes here1 but the famous porcelain earth of the country round about is supplied even to the one-time royal factory of ,svres4 ,st4 ,martial was the first prelate at ,limoges1 in the third century4 ,the diocese is to-day a suffragan of ,bourges1 and its cathedral of ,st4 ,etienne1 while not a very ancient structure1 is most interesting as to its storied past and varied and lively composition4 ,beneath the western tower are the remains of a ,romanesque portal which must have belonged to an older church2 but to all intents and purposes ,st4 ,etienne is to-day a ,gothic church after the true northern manner4 ,it was begun in #abgc under the direct influence of the impetus given to the ,gothic development by the erection of ,notre ,dame d',amiens1 and in all its parts1--choir1 transept1 and nave1--its development and growth have been most pleasing4 ,from the point of view of situation this cathedral is more attractively placed than many another which is located in a city which perforce must be ranked as a purely commercial and manufacturing town4 ,from the ,pont ,neuf1 which crosses the ,vienne1 the view over the gardens of the bishop's palace and the ,quai de l',evch is indeed grand and imposing4 ,chronologically the parts of this imposing church run nearly the gamut of the ,gothic note--from the choir of the thirteenth1 the transepts of the fourteenth and fifteenth1 to the nave of the early sixteenth centuries4 ,this nave has only latterly been completed1 and is preceded by the elegant octagonal tower before mentioned4 ,this clocher is a thirteenth-century work1 and rises something over two hundred and four feet above the pavement4 ,in the north transept is a grand rose window after the true ,french medival excellence and magnitude1 showing once again the northern spirit under which the cathedral-builders of ,limoges worked4 ,in reality the faade of this north transept might be called the true front of the cathedral4 ,the design of its portal is elaborate and elegant4 ,a series of carved figures in stone are set against the wall of the choir just beyond the transept4 ,they depict the martyrdom of ,st4 ,etienne4 ,the interior will first of all be remarked for its abundant and splendidly coloured glass4 ,this glass is indeed of the quality which in a later day has often been lacking4 ,it dates from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 except a part1 readily discernible1 which is of the nineteenth4 ,the remains of a precious choir-screen are yet very beautiful4 ,it has been removed from its original position and its stones arranged in much disorder4 ,still it is a manifestly satisfying example of the art of the stone-carver of the ,renaissance period4 ,it dates from #aedc4 ,bishop ,langeac 7d4 #aeda71 who caused it to be originally erected1 is buried close by1 beneath a contemporary monument4 ,bishops ,bernard ,brun 7d4 #acdi7 and ,raynaud de la ,porte 7d4 #acbe7 have also ,renaissance monuments which will be remarked for their excess of ornament and elaboration4 ,in the crypt of the eleventh century1 presumably the remains of the ,romanesque church whose portal is beneath the western tower1 are some remarkable wall paintings thought to be of a contemporary era4 ,if so1 they must rank among the very earliest works of their class4 ,the chief treasures of the cathedral are a series of enamels which are set into a reredos 7the canon's altar in the sacristy74 ,they are the work of the master1 ,noel ,loudin1 in the seventeenth century4 ,in the ,place de l',htel de ,ville is a monumental fountain in bronze and porcelain1 further enriched after the manner of the medival enamel workers4 ,the collection de ceramique in the ,muse is unique in ,france1 or for that matter in all the world4 ,the ateliers de ,limoges were first established in the thirteenth century by the monks of the ,abbey of ,solignac4 ,a remarkable example of the work of the mailleurs limousins is the twelfth-century reliquary of ,thomas ,becket1 one-time ,archbishop of ,canterbury4 ,illustration3 ,reliquary of ,thomas ,becket ,at the rear of the cathedral the ,vienne is crossed by the thirteenth-century bridge of ,st4 ,etienne4 ,like the cathedrals1 chteaux1 and city walls1 the old bridges of ,france1 where they still remain1 are masterworks of their kind4 ,to connect them more closely with the cause of religion1 it is significant that they mostly bore the name of1 and were dedicated to1 some local saint4 ,,viii ,,st4 ,,odilon ,,de ,,st4 ,,flour ,though an ancient ,christianizing centre1 ,st4 ,flour is not possessed of a cathedral which gives it any great rank as a cathedral town4 ,the bishopric was founded in #acah1 by ,raimond de ,vehens1 and the present cathedral of ,st4 ,odilon is on the site of an ancient basilica4 ,it was begun in #acge1 dedicated in #adif1 and finished--so far as a great church ever comes to its completion--in #aeef4 ,its exterior is strong and massive1 but harmonious throughout4 ,its faade has three portals1 flanked by two square towers1 which are capped with modern couronnes4 ,the interior shows five small naves2 that is1 the nave proper1 with two aisles on either side4 ,beside the western doorway are somewhat scanty traces of medival mural paintings depicting ,purgatory1 while above is the conventionally disposed organ buffet4 ,a fine painting of the late ,french school is in one of the side chapels1 and represents an incident from the life of ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul4 ,in another chapel is a bas-relief in stone of ,the ,last ,judgment1 reproduced from that which is yet to be seen in the north portal of ,notre ,dame de ,reims4 ,in the chapel of ,st4 ,anthony of ,padua is a painting of the ,holy ,family1 and in another--that of ,ste4 ,anne--a remarkable work depicting the ,martyred ,st4 ,symphorien at ,autun4 ,in the lower ranges of the choir is some fine modern glass by ,thvenot1 while high above the second range is a venerated statue of ,le ,christ ,noir4 ,from this catalogue it will be inferred that the great attractions of the cathedral at ,st4 ,flour are mainly the artistic accessories with which it has been embellished4 ,there are no remarkably beautiful or striking constructive elements1 though the plan is hardy and not unbeautiful4 ,it ranks among cathedrals well down in the second class1 but it is a highly interesting church nevertheless4 ,a chapel in the nave gives entrance to the eighteenth-century episcopal palace1 which is in no way notable except for its beautifully laid-out gardens and terraces4 ,the sacristy was built in #achb of the remains of the ancient ,chteau de ,st4 ,flour1 called ,de ,brezons1 which was itself originally built in the year #ajjj4 ,,ix ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,saintes ,the chief architectural feature of this ancient town--the ,mediolanum ,santonum1 chief town of the ,santoni--is not its rather uninspiring cathedral 7rebuilt in #aehe71 nor yet the church of ,st4 ,eutrope 7#ajha--if7 with its underground crypt--the largest in ,france4 ,as a historical monument of rank far more interest centres around the ,arc de ,triomphe of ,germanicus1 which originally formed a part of the bridge which spans the ,charente at this point4 ,it was erected in the reign of ,nero by ,caius ,julius ,rufus1 a priest of ,roma and ,augustus1 in memory of ,germanicus1 ,tiberius1 his uncle1 and his father1 ,drusus4 ,the bridge itself1 or what was left of it1 was razed in the nineteenth century1 which is of course to be regretted4 ,a monument which could have endured a matter of eighteen hundred years might well have been left alone to takes its further chances with ,father ,time4 ,since then the bridge has been rebuilt on its former site1 a procedure which makes the hiatus and the false position of the arch the more apparent4 ,the cloister of the cathedral1 in spite of the anachronism1 is in the early ,gothic manner1 and the campanile is of the fifteenth century4 ,saintes became a bishopric1 in the province of ,bordeaux1 in the third century4 ,st4 ,eutrope--whose name is perpetuated in a fine ,romanesque church of the city--was the first bishop4 ,the year #agic saw the suppression of the diocesan seat here1 in favour of ,angoulme4 ,in the main1 the edifice is of a late date1 in that it was entirely rebuilt in the latter years of the sixteenth century1 after having suffered practical devastation in the religious wars of that time4 ,the first mention of a cathedral church here is of a structure which took form in #aaag--the progenitor of the present edifice4 ,such considerable repairs as were necessary were undertaken in the fifteenth century1 but the church seen to-day is almost entirely of the century following4 ,the most remarkable feature of note1 in connection with this ci-devant cathedral1 is unquestionably the luxurious flamboyant tower of the fifteenth century4 ,this really fine tower is detached from the main structure and occupies the site of the church erected by ,charlemagne in fulfilment of his vow to ,pepin1 his father1 after defeating ,gaiffre1 ,duc d',aquitaine4 ,in the interior two of the bays of the transepts--which will be readily noted--date from the twelfth century1 while the nave is of the fifteenth1 and the vaulting of nave and choir--hardy and strong in every detail--is1 in part1 as late as the mid-eighteenth century4 ,the glise de ,st4 ,eutrope1 before mentioned1 is chiefly of the twelfth century1 though its crypt1 reputedly the largest in all ,france1 is of a century earlier4 ,saintes is renowned to lovers of ceramics as being the birthplace of ,bernard ,pallisy1 the inventor of the pottery glaze2 and is the scene of many of his early experiments4 ,a statue to his memory adorns the ,place ,bassompierre near the ,arc de ,triomphe4 ,x ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,tulle ,the charm of ,tulle's cathedral is in its imposing and dominant character1 rather than in any inherent grace or beauty which it possesses4 ,it is not a beautiful structure2 it is not even picturesquely disposed2 it is grim and gaunt1 and consists merely of a nave in the severe ,romanesque-,transition manner1 surmounted by a later and non-contemporary tower and spire4 ,in spite of this it looms large from every view-point in the town1 and is so lively a component of the busy life which surrounds it that it is--in spite of its severity of outline--a very appealing church edifice in more senses than one4 ,illustration3 ,,cath,,drale de ,,tulle4444 ,its tall1 finely-proportioned tower and spire1 which indeed is the chief attribute of grace and symmetry1 is of the fourteenth century1 and1 though plain and primitive in its outlines1 is far more pleasing than the crocketed and rococo details which in a later day were composed into something which was thought to be a spire4 ,in the earliest days of its history1 this rather bare and cold church was a ,benedictine monastery whose primitive church dated as far back as the seventh century4 ,there are yet remains of a cloister which may have belonged to the early church of this monastic house1 and as such is highly interesting1 and withal pleasing4 ,the bishopric was founded in #acag by ,arnaud de ,st4 ,astier4 ,the ,revolution caused much devastation here in the precincts of this cathedral1 which was first stripped of its trsor1 and finally of its dignity1 when the see was abolished4 ,,xi ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,angoul,,me ,angoulme is often first called to mind by its famous or notorious ,duchesse1 whose fame is locally perpetuated by a not very suitable column1 erected in the ,promenade ,beaulieu in #ahae4 ,there is certainly a wealth of romance to be conjured up from the recollection of the famous ,counts of ,angoulme and their adherents1 who made their residence in the ancient chteau which to-day forms in part the ,htel de ,ville1 and in part the prison4 ,here in this chteau was born ,marguerite de ,valois1 the ,marguerite of ,marguerites1 as ,franois ,i4 called her2 here took welcome shelter1 ,marie de ,medici after her husband's assassination2 and here1 too1 much more of which history tells4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,pierre 444 a' ,,angoul,,me ,what most histories do not tell is that the cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre d',angoulme1 with the cathedral of ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux and ,notre ,dame de ,poitiers1 ranks at the very head of that magnificent architectural style known as ,aquitanian4 ,st4 ,ansone was the first bishop of the diocese--in the third century4 ,the see was then1 as now1 a suffragan of ,bordeaux4 ,religious wars1 here as throughout ,aquitaine1 were responsible for a great unrest among the people1 as well as the sacrilege and desecration of church property4 ,the most marked spoliation was at the hands of the ,protestant ,coligny1 the effects of whose sixteenth-century ravages are yet visible in the cathedral4 ,a monk--,michel ,grillet--was hung to a mulberry-tree1--which stood where now is the ,place du ,murier 7mulberry71--by ,coligny1 who was reviled thus in the angry dying words of the monk3 ,you shall be thrown out of the window like ,jezebel1 and shall be ignominiously dragged through the streets4 ,this prophecy did not come true1 but ,coligny died an inglorious death in #aegb1 at the instigation of the ,duc de ,guise4 ,this cathedral ranks as one of the most curious in ,france1 and1 with its alien plan and details1 has ever been the object of the profound admiration of all who have studied its varied aspects4 ,mainly it is a twelfth-century edifice throughout1 in spite of the extensive restorations of the nineteenth century1 which have eradicated many crudities that might better have been allowed to remain4 ,it is ranked by the ,ministre des ,beaux ,arts as a ,monument ,historique4 ,the west front1 in spite of the depredations before1 during1 and after the ,revolution1 is notable for its rising tiers of round-headed arches seated firmly on proportionate though not gross columns1 its statued niches1 the rich bas-reliefs of the tympanum of its portal1 the exquisite arabesques1 of lintel1 frieze1 and archivolt1 and1 above all1 its large central arch with ,vesica piscis1 and the added decorations of emblems of the evangels and angels4 ,in addition to all this1 which forms a gallery of artistic details in itself1 the general disposition of parts is luxurious and remarkable4 ,as a whole1 ,st4 ,pierre is commonly credited as possessing the finest ,lombard detail to be found in the north2 some say outside of ,italy4 ,certainly it is prodigious in its splendour1 whatever may be one's predilections for or against the expression of its art4 ,the church follows in general plan the same distinctive style4 ,its tower1 too1 is ,lombard1 likewise the rounded apside1 and--though the church is of the elongated ,latin or cruciform ground-plan--its possession of a great central dome 7with three others above the nave--and withal aisleless7 points certainly to the great domed churches of the ,lombard plain for its ancestry4 ,the western dome is of the eleventh century1 the others of the twelfth4 ,its primitiveness has been more or less distorted by later additions1 made necessary by devastation in the sixteenth century1 but it ranks to-day1 with ,st4 ,front at ,prigueux1 as the leading example of the style known as ,aquitanian4 ,above the western portal is a great window1 very tall and showing in its glass a ,last ,judgment4 ,a superb tower ends off the croisillon on the north and rises to the height of one hundred and ninety-seven feet4 ,next to the west front and the domed roofing of the interior1 this tower ranks as the third most curious and remarkable feature of this unusual church4 ,this tower1 in spite of its appealing properties1 is curiously enough not the original to which the previous descriptive lines applied2 but their echo may be heard to-day with respect to the present tower1 which is a reconstruction1 of the same materials1 and after the same manner1 so far as possible1 as the original4 ,as the most notable and peculiar details of the interior1 will be remarked the cupolas of the roof1 and the lantern at the crossing1 which is pierced by twelve windows4 ,for sheer beauty1 and its utile purpose as well1 this great lanthorn is further noted as being most unusual in either the ,romanesque or ,gothic churches of ,france4 ,the choir is apse-ended and is surrounded by four chapels of no great prominence or beauty4 ,the south transept has a tour in embryo1 which1 had it been completed1 would doubtless have been the twin of that which terminates the transept on the north4 ,the foundations of the episcopal residence1 which is immediately beside the cathedral 7restored in the nineteenth century71 are very ancient4 ,in its garden stands a colossal statue to ,comte ,jean1 the father of ,franois ,i4 ,angoulme was the residence of the ,black ,prince after the battle of ,poitiers1 though no record remains as to where he may have lodged4 ,a house in the ,rue de ,genve has been singled out in the past as being where ,john ,calvin lived in #aecc1 but it is not recognizable to-day4 ,,xii ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,moulins ,les ,bourbonnais sont aimables1 mais vains1 lgers et facilement oublieux1 avec rien d'excessif1 rien d'exubrance dans leur nature4 --,,andr ,,rolland4 ,until he had travelled through ,bourbonnais1 the sweetest part of ,france--in the hey-day of the vintage1 said ,sterne1 ,i never felt the distress of plenty4 ,this is an appropriate enough observation to have been promulgated by a latter-day traveller4 ,here the abundance which apparently pours forth for every one's benefit knows no diminution one season from another4 ,one should not allow his pen to ramble to too great an extent in this vein1 or he will soon say with ,sterne3 ,just ,heaven6 it will fill up twenty volumes1--and alas1 there are but a few small pages6 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,moulins ,it suffices1 then1 to reiterate1 that in this plenteous land of mid-,france there is1 for all classes of man and beast1 an abundance and excellence of the harvest of the soil which makes for a fondness to linger long within the confines of this region4 ,thus did the far-seeing ,bourbons1 who1 throughout the country which yet is called of them1 set up many magnificent establishments and ensconced themselves and their retainers among the comforts of this world to a far greater degree than many other ruling houses of medival times4 ,perhaps none of the great names1 among the long lists of lords1 dukes1 and kings1 whose lands afterward came to make the solidarity of the all-embracing monarchy1 could be accused of curtailing the wealth of power and goods which conquest or bloodshed could secure or save for them4 ,the power of the ,bourbons endured1 like the ,english ,tudors1 but a century and a half beyond the period of its supremacy2 whence1 from its maturity onward1 it rotted and was outrooted bodily4 ,the literature of ,moulins1 for the ,english reading and speaking world1 appears to be an inconsiderable quantity4 ,certain romances have been woven about the ducal chteau1 and yet others concerning the all-powerful ,montmorencies1 besides much history1 which partakes generously of the components of literary expression4 ,in the country round about--if the traveller has come by road1 or for that matter by train omnibus--if he will but keep his eyes open1 he will have no difficulty in recognizing this picture3 ,a little farmhouse1 surrounded with about twenty acres of vineyard1 and about as much corn--and close to the house1 on one side1 a potagerie of an acre and a half1 full of everything which could make plenty in a ,french peasant's house--and on the other side a little wood1 which furnished wherewithal to dress it4 ,to continue1 could one but see into that house1 the picture would in no small degree differ from this3 ,a family consisting of an old1 gray-headed man and his wife1 with five or six sons and sons-in-law1 and their several wives1 and a joyous genealogy out of them 444 all sitting down together to their lentil soup2 a large wheaten loaf in the middle of the table2 and a flagon of wine at each end of it1 and promised joy throughout the various stages of the repast4 ,where in any other than this land of plenty1 for the peasant and prosperous alike1 could such a picture be drawn of the plenitude which surrounds the home life of a son of the soil and his nearest kin8 ,such an equipment of comfort and joy not only makes for a continuous and placid contentment1 but for character and ambition2 in spite of all that harum-scarum ,jeremiahs may proclaim out of their little knowledge and less sympathy with other affairs than their own4 ,no individualism is proclaimed1 but it is intimated1 and the reader may apply the observation wherever he may think it belongs4 ,moulins is the capital of the ,bourbonnais--the name given to the province and the people alike4 ,the derivation of the word ,bourbon is more legendary than historical1 if one is to give any weight to the discovery of a tablet at ,bourbonne-les-,bains1 in #ahcj1 which bore the following dedication3 ,,deo1 ,,apol ,,lini ,,borvoni ,,et ,,damonae ,c ,,daminius ,,ferox ,,civis ,,lingonus ,,ex ,,voto ,its later application to the land which sheltered the race is elucidated by a ,french writer1 thus3 ,considering that the names of all the cities and towns known as des sources d'eaux thermales commence with either the prefix ,bour or ,bor1 indicates a common origin of the word 444 from the name of the divinity which protects the waters4 ,this is so plausible and picturesque a conjecture that it would seem to be true4 ,archologists have singled out from among the most beautiful chapelles seigneuriales the one formerly contained in the ducal palace of the ,bourbons at ,moulins4 ,this formed1 of course1 a part of that gaunt1 time-worn fabric which faces the westerly end of the cathedral4 ,little there is to-day to suggest this splendour1 and for such one has to look to those examples yet to be seen at ,chambord or ,chenonceaux1 or that of the ,maison de ,jacques ,coeur at ,bourges1 with which1 in its former state1 this private chapel of the ,bourbons was a contemporary4 ,the other chief attraction of ,moulins is the theatrical ,mausole de ,henri de ,montmorency1 a seventeenth-century work which is certainly gorgeous and splendid in its magnificence1 if not in its sthetic value as an art treasure4 ,the fresh1 modern-looking cathedral of ,notre ,dame de ,moulins is a more ancient work than it really looks1 though in its completed form it dates only from the late nineteenth century1 when the indefatigable ,viollet-le-,duc erected the fine twin towers and completed the western front4 ,the whole effect of this fresh-looking edifice is of a certain elegance1 though in reality of no great luxuriousness4 ,the portal is deep but unornamented1 and the rose window above is of generous design1 though not actually so great in size as at first appears4 ,taken tout ensemble this west front--of modern design and workmanship--is far more expressive of the excellent and true proportions of the medival workers than is usually the case4 ,the spires are lofty 7#cab feet7 and are decidedly the most beautiful feature of the entire design4 ,the choir1 the more ancient portion 7#adfe-aejg71 expands into a more ample width than the nave and has a curiously squared-off termination which would hardly be described as an apside1 though the effect is circular when viewed from within4 ,the choir1 too1 rises to a greater height than the nave1 and1 though there is no very great discrepancy in style between the easterly and westerly ends1 the line of demarcation is readily placed4 ,the square flanking chapels of the choir serve to give an ampleness to the ambulatory which is unusual1 and in the exterior present again a most interesting arrangement and effect4 ,the cathedral gives on the west on the ,place du ,chteau1 with the bare1 broken wall of the ducal chteau immediately en face1 and the ,gendarmerie1 which occupies a most interestingly picturesque ,renaissance building1 is immediately to the right4 ,the interior arrangements of this brilliant cathedral church are quite as pleasing and true as the exterior4 ,there is no poverty in design or decoration1 and no overdeveloped luxuriance1 except for the accidence of the ,renaissance tendencies of its time4 ,there is no flagrant offence committed1 however1 and the ambulatory of the choir and its queer overhanging gallery at the rear of the altar are the only unusual features from the conventional decorated ,gothic plan2 if we except the baldachino which covers the altar-table1 and which is actually hideous in its enormity4 ,the bishop's throne1 curiously enough1--though the custom is1 it appears1 very1 very old1--is placed behind the high-altar4 ,the triforium and clerestory of the choir have gracefully heightened arches supported by graceful pillars1 which give an effect of exceeding lightness4 ,in the nave the triforium is omitted1 and the clerestory only overtops the pillars of nave and aisles4 ,the transepts are not of great proportions1 but are not in any way attenuated4 ,under the high-altar is a ,holy ,sepulchre of the sixteenth century1 which is penetrated by an opening which gives on the ambulatory of the choir4 ,there is a bountiful display of coloured glass of the ,renaissance period1 and1 in the sacristy1 a triptych attributed to ,ghirlandajo4 ,there are no other artistic accessories of note1 and the cathedral depends1 in the main1 for its satisfying qualities in its general completeness and consistency4 ,,xiii ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,le ,,puy ,under the sun of the ,midi ,i have seen the ,pyrenees and the ,alps1 crowned in rose and silver1 but ,i best love ,auvergne and its bed of gorse4 --,,pierre ,,de ,,nolhac4 ,le ,puy has been called--by a discerning traveller--and rightly enough1 too1 in the opinion of most persons--the most picturesque spot in the world4 ,whether every visitor thereto will endorse this unqualifiedly depends somewhat on his view-point1 and still more on his ability to discriminate4 ,le ,puy certainly possesses an unparalleled array of what may as well be called rare attractions4 ,these are primarily the topographical1 architectural1 and1 first1 last1 and all times1 picturesque elements which only a blind man could fail to diagnose as something unique and not to be seen elsewhere4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,le ,,puy4 ,in the first category are the extraordinary pinnacles of volcanic rock with which the whole surrounding landscape is peopled2 in the second1 the city's grand architectural monuments1 cathedrals1 churches1 monastery and the chteau of ,polignac2 while thirdly1 the whole aspect is irritatingly picturesque to the lover of topographical charm and feature4 ,here the situation of the city itself1 in a basin of surrounding peaks1 its sky-piercing1 turreted rocks1 and the general effect produced by its architectural features all combine to present emotions which a large catalogue were necessary to define4 ,moreover1 ,le ,puy is the gateway to a hitherto almost unknown region to the ,english-speaking tourist4 ,at least it would have been unknown but for the eulogy given it by the wandering ,robert ,louis ,stevenson1 who1 in his ,travels with a ,donkey1 7not ,on a ,donkey1--mark the distinction71 has made the ,cevennes known1 at least as a nodding acquaintance1 to--well1 a great many who would never have consciously realized that there was such a place4 ,le ,puy is furthermore as yet unspoiled by the conducted tourist1 and lives the same life that it has for many generations4 ,electric trams have come to be sure1 and certain improvements in the way of boulevards and squares have been laid out1 but1 in the main1 the narrow1 tortuous streets which ascend to its cathedral-crowned height are much as they always were2 and the native pays little heed to the visitor1 of which class not many ever come to the city--perhaps for the reason that ,le ,puy is not so very accessible by rail4 ,both by the line which descends the ,rhne valley and its parallel line from ,paris to ,nmes1 one has to branch off1 and is bound to lose from three to six hours--or more1 at some point or other1 making connections4 ,this is as it should be--in spite of the apparent retrogression4 ,when one really does get to ,le ,puy nothing should satisfy him but to follow the trail of ,stevenson's donkey into the heart of the ,cevennes1 that wonderful country which lies to the southward1 and see and know for himself some of the things which that delectable author set forth in the record of his travels4 ,monastier1 ,le ,cheylard1 ,la ,bastide1 ,notre ,dame des ,neiges1 ,mont ,mzenac1 and many more delightful places are1 so far as personal knowledge goes1 a sealed book to most folk2 and after one has visited them for himself1 he may rest assured they will still remain a sealed book to the mass4 ,the ecclesiastical treasures of ,le ,puy are first and foremost centred around its wonderful1 though bizarre1 ,romanesque cathedral of ,notre ,dame4 ,some have said that this cathedral church dates from the fifth century4 ,possibly this is so1 but assuredly there is no authority which makes a statement which is at all convincing concerning any work earlier than the tenth century4 ,le ,puy's first bishop was ,st4 ,georges1--in the third century1--at which time1 as now1 the diocese was a suffragan of ,bourges4 ,the cathedral itself is perched on a hilltop behind which rises an astonishing crag or pinnacle1--the rocher ,corneille1 which1 in turn1 is surmounted by a modern colossal bronze figure1 commonly called ,notre ,dame de ,france4 ,the native will tell you that it is called the ,virgin of ,le ,puy4 ,due allowance for local pride doubtless accounts for this4 ,its height is fifty feet1 and while astonishingly impressive in many ways1 is1 as a work of art1 without beauty in itself4 ,illustration3 ,le ,puy ,there is a sort of subterranean or crypt-like structure1 beneath the westerly end of the cathedral1 caused by the extreme slope of the rock upon which the choir end is placed4 ,one enters by a stairway of sixty steps1 which is beneath the parti-coloured faade of the twelfth century4 ,it is very striking and must be a unique approach to a cathedral2 the entrance here being two stories below that of the pavement of nave and choir4 ,this porch of three round-arched naves is wholly unusual4 ,entrance to the main body of the church is finally gained through the transept4 ,the whole structure is curiously kaleidoscopic1 with blackish and dark brown tints predominating1 but alternating--in the west faade1 which has been restored in recent times--with bands of a lighter and again a darker stone4 ,it has been called by a certain red-robed mentor of travel-lore an ungainly1 venerable1 but singular edifice3 quite a non-committal estimate1 and one which1 like most of its fellows1 is worse than a slander4 ,it is most usually conceded by ,french authorities--who might naturally be supposed to know their subject--that it is very nearly the most genuinely interesting exposition of a local manner of church-building extant2 and as such the cathedral at ,le ,puy merits great consideration4 ,the choir is the oldest portion1 and is probably not of later date than the tenth century4 ,the glass therein is modern4 ,it has a possession1 a miraculous virgin1--whose predecessor was destroyed in the fury of the ,revolution1--which is supposed to work wonders upon those who bestow an appropriate votive offering4 ,to the former shrine came many pilgrims1 numbering among them1 it is said rather indefinitely and doubtfully1 several popes and the following kings3 ,louis ,,vii41 ,philippe-,auguste1 ,philippe-le-,hardi1 ,charles ,,vi41 ,charles ,,vii41 ,louis ,,xi41 and ,charles ,,viii4 ,to-day1 as if doubtful of the shrine's efficacy1 the pilgrims are few in number and mostly of the peasant class4 ,the bays of the nave are divided by round-headed arches1 but connected with the opposing bay by the ogival variety4 ,the transepts have apsidal terminations1 as is much more frequent south of the ,loire than in the north of ,france1 but still of sufficient novelty to be remarked here4 ,the east end is rectangular--which is really a very unusual attribute in any part of ,france1 only two examples elsewhere standing out prominently--the cathedrals at ,laon and ,dol-de-,bretagne4 ,the cloister of ,notre ,dame1 small and simple though it be1 is of a singular charm and tranquillity4 ,with the tower or cupola of this cathedral the architects of ,auvergne achieved a result very near the perfectionnement of its style4 ,like all of the old-time clochers erected in this province--anterior to ,gothic--it presents a great analogy to ,byzantine origin1 though1 in a way1 not quite like it either4 ,still the effect of columns and pillars1 in both the interior construction and exterior decoration of these fine towers1 forms something which suggests1 at least1 a development of an ideal which bears little1 or no1 relation to the many varieties of campanile1 beffroi1 tour or clocher seen elsewhere in ,france4 ,the spire1 as we know it elsewhere1 a dominant pyramidal termination1 the love of which ,mistral has said is the foundation of patriotism1 is in this region almost entirely wanting2 showing that the influence1 from whatever it may have sprung1 was no copy of anything which had gone before1 nor even the suggestion of a tendency or influence toward the pointed ,gothic1 or northern style4 ,therefore the towers1 like most other features of this style1 are distinctly of the land of its environment--,auvergnian4 ,this will call to mind1 to the ,american1 the fact that ,trinity ,church in ,boston is manifestly the most distinctive application1 in foreign lands1 of the form and features of the manner of church-building of the ,auvergne4 ,particularly is this to be noted by viewing the choir exterior with its inlaid or geometrically planned stonework3 a feature which is ,romanesque if we go back far enough1 but which is distinctly ,auvergnian in its medival use4 ,for sheer novelty1 before even the towering bronze statue of the ,virgin1 which overtops the cathedral1 must be placed that other needle-like basaltic eminence which is crowned by a tiny chapel dedicated to ,st4 ,michel4 ,this aiguille1 as it is locally known1 rises something over two hundred and fifty feet from the river-bed at its base2 like a sharp cone1 dwindling from a diameter of perhaps five hundred feet at its base to a scant fifty at its apex4 ,st4 ,michel has always had a sort of vested proprietorship in such pinnacles as this1 and this tiny chapel in his honour was the erection of a prelate of the diocese of ,le ,puy in the tenth century4 ,the chapel is ,romanesque1 octagonal1 and most curious2 with its isolated situation1--only reached by a flight of many steps cut in the rock1--and its tesselated stone pavements1 its mosaic in basalt of the portal1 and its few curious sculptures in stone4 ,as a place of pilgrimage for a twentieth-century tourist it is much more appealing than the ,virgin-crowned rocher ,corneille2 each will anticipate no inconsiderable amount of physical labour1 which1 however1 is the true pilgrim spirit4 ,the chteau of ,polignac compels attention1 and it is not so very foreign to church affairs after all2 the house of the name gave to the court of ,louis ,,xiv4 a cardinal4 ,to-day this one-time feudal stronghold is but a mere ruin4 ,the ,revolution finished it1 as did that fury many another architectural glory of ,france4 ,illustration3 ,the ,black ,virgin1 ,le ,puy ,,xiv ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,clermont-,,ferrand ,clermont-,ferrand is the hub from which radiates in the season1--from ,april to ,october1--and in all directions1 the genuine ,french touriste4 ,he is a remarkable species of traveller1 and he apportions to himself the best places in the char- bancs and the most convenient seats at table d'hte with a discrimination that is perfection4 ,he is not much interested in cathedrals1 or indeed in the twin city of ,clermont-,ferrand itself1 but rather his choice lies in favour of ,mont ,dor1 ,puy de ,dme1 ,royat1 ,st4 ,nectaire1 or a dozen other alluring tourist resorts in which the neighbouring volcanic region abounds4 ,by reason of this--except for its hotels and cafs--,clermont-,ferrand is justly entitled to rank as one of the most ancient and important centres of ,christianity in ,france4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,clermont-,,ferrand ,its cathedral is not of the local manner of building3 it is of manifest ,norman example4 ,but the glise ,notre ,dame du ,port is ,auvergnian of the most profound type1 and withal1 perhaps more appealing than the cathedral itself4 ,furthermore the impulse of the famous crusades first took form here under the fervent appeal of ,urban ,,ii41 who was in the city at the ,council of the ,church held in #ajie4 ,altogether the part played by this city of mid-,france in the affairs of the ,christian faith was not only great1 but most important and far-reaching in its effect4 ,in its cathedral are found to a very considerable extent those essentials to the realization of the pure ,gothic style1 which even ,sir ,christopher ,wren confessed his inability to fully comprehend4 ,it is a pleasant relief1 and a likewise pleasant reminder of the somewhat elaborate glories of the ,isle of ,france1 to come upon an edifice which at least presents a semblance to the symmetrical pointed ,gothic of the north4 ,the more so in that it is surrounded by ,romanesque and local types which are peers among their class4 ,truly enough it is that such churches as ,notre ,dame du ,port1 the cathedral at ,le ,puy1 and the splendid series of ,romanesque churches at ,poitiers are as interesting and as worthy of study as the resplendent modern ,gothic4 ,on the other hand1 the transition to the baseness of the ,renaissance1--without the intervention of the pointed style1--while not so marked here as elsewhere1 is yet even more painfully impressed upon one4 ,the contrast between the ,romanesque style1 which was manifestly a good style1 and the ,renaissance1 which was palpably bad1 suggests1 as forcibly as any event of history1 the change of temperament which came upon the people1 from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries4 ,this cathedral is possessed of two fine western towers 7#cdj feet in height71 graceful in every proportion1 hardy without being clumsy1 symmetrical without weakness1 and dwindling into crowning spires after a manner which approaches similar works at ,bordeaux and ,quimper4 ,these examples are not of first rank1 but1 if not of masterful design1 are at least acceptable exponents of the form they represent4 ,these towers1 as well as the western portal1 are1 however1 of a very late date4 ,they are the work of ,viollet-le-,duc in the latter half of the nineteenth century1 and indicate--if nothing more--that1 where a good model is used1 a modern ,gothic work may still betray the spirit of antiquity4 ,this gifted architect was not so successful with the western towers of the abbey church of ,st4 ,ouen at ,rouen4 ,externally the cathedral at ,clermont-,ferrand shows a certain lack of uniformity4 ,its main fabric1 of a black volcanic stone1 dates from #abdh to #abfe4 ,at this time the work was in charge of one ,jean ,deschamps4 ,the church was not1 however1 consecrated until nearly a century later1 and until the completion of the west front remained always an unfinished work which received but scant consideration from lovers of church architecture4 ,the whole structure was sorely treated at the ,revolution1 was entirely stripped of its ornaments and what monuments it possessed1 and was only saved from total destruction by a subterfuge advanced by a local magistrate1 who suggested that the edifice might be put to other than its original use4 ,the first two bays of the nave are also of nineteenth-century construction4 ,this must account for the frequent references of a former day to the general effect of incompleteness4 ,to-day it is a coherent if not a perfect whole1 though works of considerable magnitude are still under way4 ,the general effect of the interior is harmonious1 though gloomy as to its lighting1 and bare as to its walls4 ,the vault rises something over a hundred feet above the pavement1 and the choir platform is considerably elevated4 ,the aisles of the nave are doubled1 and very wide4 ,the joints of pier and wall have been newly pointed1 giving an impression of a more modern work than the edifice really is4 ,the glass of the nave and choir is of a rare quality and unusually abundant4 ,how it escaped the fury of the ,revolution is a mystery4 ,there are two fifteenth-century rose windows in the transepts1 and a more modern example in the west front1 the latter being decidedly inferior to the others4 ,the glass of the choir is the most beautiful of all1 and is of the time of ,louis ,,ix41 whose arms1 quartered with those of ,spain1 are shown therein4 ,the general effect of this coloured glass is not of the supreme excellence of that at ,chartres1 but the effect of mellowness1 on first entering1 is in every way more impressive than that of any other cathedral south of the ,loire4 ,the organ buffet has1 in this instance1 been cut away to allow of the display of the modern rosace4 ,this is a most thoughtful consideration of the attributes of a grand window2 which is obviously that of giving a pleasing effect to an interior1 rather than its inclusion in the exterior scheme of decoration4 ,in the choir is a retable of gilded and painted wood1 representing the life of ,st4 ,crpinien1 a few tombs1 and in the chapels some frescoes of the thirteenth century4 ,there is the much-appreciated astronomical clock--a curiosity of doubtful artistic work and symbolism--in one of the transepts4 ,a statue of ,pope ,urban ,,ii4 is en face to the right of the cathedral4 ,at the ,council of #ajie ,urban ,,ii4 preached for the first crusade to avenge the slaughter of pilgrims1 princes1 and bishops1 which had taken place at ,romola in ,palestine1 and to regain possession of ,jerusalem and the ,holy ,sepulchre from the ,turkish ,sultan1 ,ortock4 ,the enthusiasm of the pontiff was so great that the masses forthwith entered fully into the spirit of the act1 the nobles tearing their red robes into shreds to form the badge of the crusader's cross1 which was given to all who took the vow4 ,by command of the ,pope1 every serf who took the cross was to obtain his liberty from his overlord4 ,this fact1 perhaps1 more than any other led to the swelled ranks of the first crusade under ,peter the ,hermit4 ,the rest is history1 though really much of its written chronicle is really romance4 ,clermont was a bishopric in the third century1 with ,st4 ,austremoine as its first bishop4 ,the diocese is to-day a suffragan of ,bourges4 ,at the head of the ,cours ,sablon is a fifteenth-century fountain1 executed to the order of a former bishop1 ,jacques d',amboise4 ,the bibliothque still preserves1 among fifty thousand volumes and eleven hundred ,,mss41 an illuminated folio ,bible of the twelfth century1 a missal which formerly belonged to ,pope ,clement ,,vi41 and a ninth-century manuscript of the monk1 ,gregory of ,tours4 ,near the cathedral in the ,rue de ,petit ,gras is the birthplace of the precocious ,blaise ,pascal1 who next to ,urban ,,ii4--if not even before him--is perhaps ,clermont's most famous personage4 ,a bust of the celebrated writer is let into the wall which faces the ,passage ,vernines1 and yet another adorns the entrance to the bibliothque2 and again another--a full-length figure this time--is set about with growing plants1 in the ,square ,blaise ,pascal4 ,altogether one will judge that ,pascal is indeed the most notable figure in the secular history of the city4 ,this most original intellect of his time died in #affb1 at the early age of thirty-nine4 ,,xv ,,st4 ,,fulcran ,,de ,,lod,,ve ,lodve1 seated tightly among the mountains1 near the confluence of the rivers ,solondre and ,lergue1 not far from the ,cevennes and the borders of the ,gvaudan1 was a bishopric1 suffragan of ,narbonne1 as early as the beginning of the fourth century4 ,it had been the capital of the ,gallic tribe of the ,volsques1 then a pagan ,roman city1 and finally was converted to ,christianity in the year #cbc by the apostle ,st4 ,flour1 who founded the bishopric1 which1 with so many others1 was suppressed at the ,revolution4 ,the city suffered greatly from the wars of the ,goths1 the ,albigenses1 and later the civil wars of the ,protestants and ,catholics4 ,the bishops of ,lodve were lords by virtue of the fact that the title was bought from the viscounts whose honour it had previously held4 ,st4 ,guillem ,ley ,desert 7,o4 ,f471 a famous abbey of the ,benedictines1 founded by an ancestor of the ,prince of ,orange1 is near by4 ,the ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,fulcran is situated in the haute-ville and dates1 as to its foundation walls1 from the middle of the tenth century4 ,the reconstructed present-day edifice is mainly of the thirteenth century1 and as an extensive work of its time is entitled to rank with many of the cathedral churches which survived the ,revolution4 ,by the end of the sixteenth century1 the last remaining work and alterations were completed1 and one sees therefore a fairly consistent medival church4 ,the west faade is surmounted by tourelles which are capped with a defending mchicoulis1 presumably for defence from attack from the west1 as this battlement could hardly have been intended for mere ornament1 decorative though it really is4 ,the interior height rises to something approximating eighty feet1 and is imposing to a far greater degree than many more magnificent and wealthy churches4 ,the choir is truly elegant in its proportions and decorations1 its chief ornament being that of the high-altar1 and the white marble lions which flank the stalls4 ,from the choir one enters the ruined cloister of the fifteenth century2 which1 if not remarkable in any way1 is at least distinctive and a sufficiently uncommon appendage of a cathedral church to be remarked4 ,a marble tomb of a former bishop1--,plantavit de la ,pause1--a distinguished prelate and bibliophile1 is also in the choir4 ,this monument is a most worthy artistic effort1 and shows two lions lying at the foot of a full-length figure of the churchman4 ,it dates from #afea1 and1 though of ,renaissance workmanship1 its design and sculpture--like most monumental work of its era--are far ahead of the quality of craftsmanship displayed by the builders and architects of the same period4 ,the one-time episcopal residence is now occupied by the htel de ville1 the tribunal1 and the caserne de gendarmerie4 ,as a shelter for civic dignity this is perhaps not a descent from its former glory1 but as a caserne it is a shameful debasement2 not1 however1 as mean as the level to which the papal palace at ,avignon has fallen4 ,the guide-book information--which1 be it said1 is not disputed or reviled here--states that the city's manufactories supply surtout des draps for the army2 but the church-lover will get little sustenance for his refined appetite from this kernel of matter-of-fact information4 ,lodve is1 however1 a charming provincial town1 with two ancient bridges crossing its rivers1 a ruined chteau1 ,montbrun1 and a fine promenade which overlooks the river valleys round about4 ,,part ,,iii ,the ,rhne ,valley ,i ,,introductory ,the knowledge of the geographer ,ptolemy1 who wrote in the second century with regard to the ,rhne1 was not so greatly at fault as with respect to other topographical features1 such as coasts and boundaries4 ,perhaps the fact that ,gaul had for so long been under ,roman dominion had somewhat to do with this4 ,he gives1 therefore1 a tolerably correct account as to this mighty river1 placing its sources in the ,alps1 and tracing its flow through the lake ,lemannus 7,leman7 to ,lugdunum 7,lyon72 whence1 turning sharply to the southward1 it enters the ,mediterranean south of ,arles4 ,likewise1 he correctly adds that the upper river is joined with the combined flow of the ,doubs and ,sane1 but commits the error of describing their source to be also in the ,alps4 ,philip ,gilbert ,hamerton1 who knew these parts well1--his home was near ,autun1--has described the confluence of the ,sane and ,rhne thus3 ,the width and depth of the two rivers are equal1 but the swift-flowing ,rhne discharges twice the volume of water of the slow-running ,sane4 ,they also differ remarkably in colour4 ,the ,sane is emerald-green and the ,rhne blue-green4 ,here the minor river loses its name and character1 and1 by an unusual process1 the slowest and most navigable stream in ,europe joins the swiftest and least navigable4 ,the ,flumen ,araris ceases and becomes the ,rhodanus4 ,the volume of water which yearly courses down the ,rhne is perhaps greater than would first appear1 when1 at certain seasons of the year1 one sees a somewhat thin film of water gliding over a wide expanse of yellow sand and shingle4 ,throughout1 however1 it is of generous width and at times rises in a true torrential manner3 this when the spring freshets and melting ,alpine snows are directed thither toward their natural outlet to the sea4 ,rivers1 said ,blaise ,pascal1 are the roads that move4 ,along the great river valleys of the ,rhne1 the ,loire1 the ,seine1 and the ,rhine were made the first ,roman roads1 the prototypes of the present-day means of communication4 ,the development of civilization and the arts along these great pathways was rapid and extensive4 ,two of them1 at least1 gave birth to architectural styles quite differing from other neighbouring types3 the ,romain-,germanique--bordering along the ,rhine and extending to ,alsace and the ,vosges2 and the ,romain-,bourguignon1 which followed the valley of the ,rhne from ,bourgogne to the ,mediterranean and the ,italian frontier1 including all ,provence4 ,the true source of the ,rhne is in the ,pennine ,alps1 where1 in consort with three other streams1 the ,aar1 the ,reuss1 and the ,ticino1 it rises in a cloven valley close to the lake of ,brienz1 amid that huge jumble of mountain-tops1 which differs so greatly from the popular conception of a mountain range4 ,dauphin and ,savoie are to-day comparatively unknown by parlour-car travellers4 ,dauphin1 with its great historical associations1 the wealth and beauty of its architecture1 the magnificence of its scenery1 has always had great attractions for the historian1 the archologist1 and the scholar2 to the tourist1 however1 even to the ,french tourist1 it remained for many years a terra incognita4 ,yet no country could present the traveller with a more wonderful succession of ever-changing scenery1 such a rich variety of landscape1 ranging from verdant plain to mountain glacier1 from the gay and picturesque to the sublime and terrible4 ,planted in the very heart of the ,french ,alps1 rising terrace above terrace from the lowlands of the ,rhne to the most stupendous heights1 ,dauphin may with reason claim to be the worthy rival of ,switzerland4 ,the romantic associations of ,la ,grande ,chartreuse2 of the charming valley towns of ,sion and ,aoste1 famed alike in the history of ,church and ,state2 and of the more splendidly appointed cities of ,grenoble and ,chambry1 will make a new leaf in the books of most peoples' experiences4 ,the rivers ,durance1 ,isre1 and ,drme drain the region into the more ample basin of the ,rhne1 and the first of the three--for sheer beauty and romantic picturesqueness--will perhaps rank first in all the world4 ,the chief associations of the ,rhne valley with the ,church are centred around ,lyon1 ,vienne1 ,avignon1 and ,arles4 ,the associations of history--a splendid and a varied past--stand foremost at ,orange1 ,nmes1 ,aix1 and ,marseilles4 ,it is not possible to deal here with the many pays et pagi of the basin of the ,rhne4 ,of all1 ,provence--that golden land--stands foremost and compels attention4 ,one might praise it ad infinitum in all its splendid attributes and its glorious past1 but one could not then do it justice2 better far that one should sum it up in two words--,mistral's world4 ,the popes and the troubadours combined to cast a glamour over the fair land of ,provence which is irresistible4 ,here were architectural monuments1 arches1 bridges1 aqueducts1 and arenas as great and as splendid as the world has ever known4 ,aix-en-,provence1 in ,king ,ren's time1 was the gayest capital of ,europe1 and the influence of its arts and literature spread to all parts4 ,to the south came first the ,visigoths1 then the conflicting and repelling ,ostrogoths2 between them soon to supplant the ,gallo-,roman cultivation which had here grown so vigorously4 ,it was as late as the sixth century when the ,ostrogoths held the brilliant sunlit city of ,arles2 when follows a history--applicable as well to most of all southern ,france--of many dreary centuries of discordant races1 of varying religious faiths1 and adherence now to one lord and master1 and then to another4 ,monuments of various eras remain2 so numerously that one can rebuild for themselves much that has disappeared for ever3 palaces as at ,avignon1 castles as at ,tarascon and ,beaucaire1 and walled cities as at ,aigues-,morte4 ,what limitless suggestion is in the thought of the assembled throngs who peopled the tiers of the arenas and theatres of ,arles and ,nmes in days gone by4 ,the sensation is mostly to be derived1 however1 from thought and conjecture4 ,the painful and nullifying spectacles and courses des taureaux1 which periodically hold forth to-day in these noble arenas1 are mere travesties on their splendid functions of the past4 ,much more satisfying--and withal more artistic--are the theatrical representations in that magnificent outdoor theatre at ,orange2 where so recently as the autumn of #aijc was given a grand representation of dramatic art1 with ,madame ,bernhardt1 ,coquelin1 and others of the galaxy which grace the ,french stage to-day1 taking part therein4 ,provenal literature is a vast and varied subject1 and the women of ,arles--the true ,arlesians of the poet and romancer--are astonishingly beautiful4 ,each of these subjects--to do them justice--would require much ink and paper4 ,daudet1 in ,tartarin1 has these opening words1 as if no others were necessary in order to lead the way into a new world3 ,,it ,,was ,,september ,,and ,,it ,,was ,,provence4 ,frederic ,mistral1 in ,mirio1 has written the great modern epic of ,provence1 which depicts the life as well as the literature of the ancient troubadours4 ,the ,fountain of ,vaucluse will carry one back still further in the ancient ,provenal atmosphere2 to the days of ,petrarch and ,laura1 and the little fish of ,sorgues4 ,what the ,romance language really was1 authorities--if they be authorities--differ4 ,hence it were perhaps well that no attempt should be made here to define what others have failed to place1 beyond this observation1 which is gathered from a source now lost to recollection1 but dating from a century ago at least3 ,the southern or ,romance language1 the tongue of all the people who obeyed ,charlemagne in the south of ,europe1 proceeded from the parent-vitiated ,latin4 ,the ,provenaux assert1 and the ,spaniards deny1 that the ,spanish tongue is derived from the original ,romance1 though neither the ,italians nor the ,french are willing to owe much to it as a parent1 in spite of the fact that ,petrarch eulogized it1 and the troubadours as well4 ,the ,toulousans roundly assert that the ,provenal is the root of all other dialects whatever 7vide ,cazeneuve74 ,most ,spanish writers on the other hand insist that the ,provenal is derived from the ,spanish 7vide ,coleccion de ,poesias ,castellanas2 ,madrid1 #aggi74 ,at all events the idiom1 from whatever it may have sprung1 took root1 propagated and flourished in the land of the ,provenal troubadours4 ,whatever may have been the real extent of the influences which went out from ,provence1 it is certain that the marriage of ,robert with ,constance--daughter of the first ,count of ,provence1 about the year #ajjj--was the period of a great change in manners and customs throughout the kingdom4 ,some even have asserted that this princess brought in her train the troubadours who spread the taste for poetry and its accompaniments throughout the north of ,france4 ,the ,provence rose1 so celebrated in legend and literature1 can hardly be dismissed without a word2 though1 in truth1 the casual traveller will hardly know of its existence1 unless he may have a sweet recollection of some rural maid1 who1 with sleeves carefully rolled up1 stood before her favourite rose-tree1 tenderly examining it1 and driving away a buzzing fly or a droning wasp4 ,these firstlings of the season are tended with great pride4 ,the distinctive rose of ,provence is smaller1 redder1 and more elastic and concentric than the centifoli of the north1 and for this reason1 likely1 it appears the more charming to the eye of the native of the north1 who1 if we are to believe the romanticists1 is made a child again by the mere contemplation of this lovely flower4 ,the glory of this rich red ,provence rose is in dispute between ,provence and ,provins1 the ancient capital of ,la ,brie2 but the weight of the argument appears to favour the former4 ,below ,arles and ,nmes the ,rhne broadens out into a many-fingered estuary1 and mingles its ,alpine flood with the blue waters of the ,mediterranean4 ,the delta has been formed by the activity and energy of the river itself1 from the fourth century--when it is known that ,arles lay sixteen miles from the sea--till to-day1 when it is something like thirty4 ,this ceaseless carrying and filling has resulted in a new coast-line1 which not only has changed the topography of the region considerably1 but may be supposed to have actually worked to the commercial disadvantage of the country round about4 ,the annual prolongation of the shores--the reclaimed water-front--is about one hundred and sixty-four feet1 hence some considerable gain is accounted for1 but whether to the nation or the squatter statistics do not say4 ,the delta of the ,rhne has been described by an expansive ,french writer as3 ,something quite separate from the rest of ,france4 ,it is a wedge of ,greece and of the ,east thrust into ,gaul4 ,it came north a hundred 7or more7 years ago and killed the ,monarchy4 ,it caught the value in1 and created the great war-song of the ,republic4 ,there is a deal of subtlety in these few lines1 and they are given here because of their truth and applicability4 ,,ii ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,chalons-,,sur-,,sa,,ne ,the cathedral at ,chalons1 says ,philip ,gilbert ,hamerton1--who knew the entire region of the ,sane better perhaps than any other ,anglo-,saxon1--has twin towers1 which1 in the evening1 at a distance1 recall ,notre ,dame 7at ,paris71 and there are domes1 too1 as in the capital4 ,an imaginative description surely1 and one that is doubtless not without truth were one able to first come upon this riverside city of mid-,france in the twilight1 and by boat from the upper river4 ,chalons is an ideally situated city1 with a placidness which the slow current of the ,sane does not disturb4 ,but its cathedral6 ,it is no more like its ,parisian compeer than it is like the ,pyramids of ,egypt4 ,in the first place1 the cathedral towers are a weak1 effeminate imitation of a prototype which itself must have been far removed from ,notre ,dame1 and they have been bolstered and battened in a shameful fashion4 ,the cathedral at ,chalons is about the most ancient-looking possession of the city1 which in other respects is quite modern1 and1 aside from its charming situation and general attractiveness1 takes no rank whatever as a centre of ancient or medival art4 ,its examples of ,gallic architecture are not traceable to-day1 and of ,roman remains it possesses none4 ,as a ,gallic stronghold1--it was never more than that1--it appealed to ,csar merely as a base from which to advance or retreat1 and its history at this time is not great or abundant4 ,a ,roman wall is supposed to have existed1 but its remains are not traceable to-day1 though tradition has it that a quantity of its stones were transported by the monk ,bnigne for the rotunda which he built at ,dijon4 ,the city's era of great prosperity was the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1 when its fortifications were built up anew1 its cathedral finished1 and fourteen churches held forth4 ,from this high estate it has sadly fallen1 and there is only its decrepit cathedral1 rebuilt after a seventeenth-century fire1 and two churches--one of them modern--to uphold its ecclesiastical dignity4 ,the towers of the cathedral are of the seventeenth century1 but the so-called ,deanery ,tower is more ancient1 and suggestive of much that is militant and very little that is churchly4 ,the interior has been restored1 not wholly with success1 but yet not wholly spoiled4 ,in plan and arrangement it is a simple and severe church1 but acceptable enough when one contemplates changes made elsewhere4 ,here are to be seen no debased copies of ,greek or ,roman orders2 which is something to be thankful for4 ,the arches of the nave and choir are strong and bold1 but not of great spread4 ,the height of the nave1 part of which has come down from the thirteenth century1 is ninety feet at least4 ,there are well-carved capitals to the pillars of the nave1 and the coloured glass of the windows of triforium and clerestory is rich without rising to great beauty4 ,in general the style is decidedly a mlange1 though the cathedral is entitled to rank as a ,gothic example4 ,its length is #cej feet4 ,the matre-autel is one of the most elegant in ,france4 ,modern improvement has cleared away much that was picturesque1 but around the cathedral are still left a few gabled houses1 which serve to preserve something of the medival setting which once held it4 ,the courtyard and its dependencies at the base of the ,deanery ,tower are the chief artistic features4 ,they appeal far more strongly than any general accessory of the cathedral itself1 and suggest that they once must have been the components of a cloister4 ,the see was founded in the fifth century as a suffragan of ,lyon4 ,,iii ,,st4 ,,vincent ,,de ,,macon ,the ,mastieo of the ,romans was not the ,macon of to-day1 though1 by evolution1 or corruption1 or whatever the process may have been1 the name has come down to us as referring to the same place4 ,the former city did not border the river1 but was seated on a height overlooking the ,sane1 which flows by the doors of the present city of ,macon4 ,its site is endowed with most of the attributes included in the definition of commanding1 and1 though not grandly situated1 is1 from any riverside view-point1 attractive and pleasing4 ,when it comes to the polygonal towers of its olden cathedral1 this charming and pleasing view changes to that of one which is curious and interesting4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,vincent is a battered old ruin1 and no amount of restoration and rebuilding will ever endow it with any more deserving qualities4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,vincent de ,,macon4 ,the ,revolution was responsible for its having withered away1 as it was also for the abolishment of the see of ,macon4 ,the towers stand to-day--lowered somewhat from their former proportions--gaunt and grim1 and the rich ,burgundian narthen1 which lay between1 has been converted--not restored1 mark you--into an inferior sort of chapel4 ,the destruction that fell upon various parts of this old church might as well have been more sweeping and razed it to the ground entirely4 ,the effect could not have been more disheartening4 ,macon formerly had twelve churches4 ,now it has three--if we include this poor fragment of its one-time cathedral4 ,between the ,revolution and the coronation of ,napoleon ,i4 the city was possessed of no place of worship4 ,macon became an episcopal see1 with ,placide as its first bishop1 in the sixth century4 ,it was suppressed in #agij4 ,the bridge which crosses the river to the suburb of ,st4 ,laurent is credited as being the finest work of its kind crossing the ,sane4 ,hamerton has said that its massive arches and piers1 wedge-shaped to meet the wind1 are pleasant to contemplate after numerous festoons of wire carrying a roadway of planks4 ,this bridge was formerly surmounted1 at either end1 with a castellated gateway1 but1 like many of these accessories elsewhere1 they have disappeared4 ,the famous bridge at ,cahors 7shown elsewhere in this book7 is the best example of such a bridge still existing in ,france4 ,as a cathedral city1 ,macon will not take a high rank4 ,the great man of ,macon was ,lamartine4 ,his birthplace is shown to visitors1 but its present appearance does not suggest the splendid appointments of its description in that worthy's memoirs4 ,macon is the entrept of the abundant and excellent vin du ,bourgogne1 and the strictly popular repute of the city rests entirely on this fact4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,jean de ,,lyon4 ,,iv ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,lyon ,the ,lyonnais is the name given to that region lying somewhat to the westward of the city of ,lyon4 ,it is divided into three distinct parts1 le ,lyonnais proper1 le ,forez1 and le ,beaujolais4 ,its chief appellation comes from that of its chief city1 which in turn is more than vague as to its etymology3 ,lugdunum we know1 of course1 and we can trace its evolution even unto the ,anglicized ,lyons1 but when philologists1 antiquarians1 and pedants of mere pretence ask us to choose between le corbeau--lougon1 un eminence--dounon1 lone--an arm of a river1 and dun the ,celtic word for height1 we are amazed1 and are willing enough to leave the solving of the problem to those who will find a greater pleasure therein4 ,lyon is a widely-spread city1 of magnificent proportions and pleasing aspect1 situated as it is on the banks of two majestic1 though characteristically different rivers1 the ,rhne and the ,sane4 ,in many respects it is an ideally laid-out city1 and the scene from the heights of ,fourvire at night1 when the city is brilliant with many-lighted workshops1 is a wonderfully near approach to fairy-land4 ,whether the remarkable symmetry of the city's streets and plan is the result of the genius of a past day1 or of the modern progressive spirit1 is in some doubt4 ,certainly it must originally have been a delightfully planned city1 and the spirit of modernity--though great--has not by any means wholly eradicated its whilom charm of another day4 ,it may be remarked here that about the only navigable portion of the none too placid ,rhne is found from here to ,avignon and ,arles1 to which points1 in summer at least1 steam-craft--of sorts--carry passengers with expedition and economy--down-stream2 the journey up-river will amaze one by the potency of the flood of this torrential stream--so different from the slow-going ,sane4 ,the present diocese1 of which the see of ,lyon is the head1 comprehends the ,department of the ,rhne et ,loire4 ,it is known under the double vocable of ,lyon et ,vienne1 and is the outgrowth of the more ancient ecclesiastical province of ,vienne1 whose archiepiscopal dignity was domiciled in ,st4 ,maurice4 ,it was in the second century that ,st4 ,pothin1 an ,asiatic ,greek1 came to the ancient province of ,lyon as archbishop4 ,the title carried with it that of primate of all ,gaul3 hence the importance of the see1 from the earliest times1 may be inferred4 ,the architectural remains upon which is built the flamboyant ,gothic church of ,st4 ,nizier are supposed to be those of the primitive cathedral in which ,st4 ,pothin and ,st4 ,irenus celebrated the holy rites4 ,the claim is made1 of course1 not without a show of justification therefor1 but it is a far cry from the second century of our era to this late day2 and the sacristan's words are not convincing1 in view of the doubts which many non-local experts have cast upon the assertion4 ,the present glise ,st4 ,nizier is furthermore dedicated to a churchman who lived as late as the sixth century4 ,the present cathedral of ,st4 ,jean dates from the early years of the twelfth century1 but there remains to-day another work closely allied with episcopal affairs--the stone bridge which spans the ,sane1 and which was built some two hundred years before the present cathedral by ,archbishop ,humbert4 ,though a bridge across a river is an essentially practical and utile thing1 it is1 perhaps1 in a way1 as worthy a work for a generous and masterful prelate as church-building itself4 ,certainly this was the case with ,humbert's bridge1 he having designed the structure1 superintended its erection1 and assumed the expense thereof4 ,it is recorded that this worthy churchman gained many adherents for the faith1 so it may be assumed that he builded as well as he knew4 ,st4 ,jean de ,lyon dates from #aahj1 and presents many architectural anomalies in its constructive elements1 though the all-pervading ,gothic is in the ascendant4 ,from this height downward1 through various interpolations1 are seen suggestions of many varieties and styles of church-building4 ,there is1 too1 an intimation of a motif essentially pagan if one attempts to explain the vagaries of some of the ornamentation of the unusual septagonal ,lombard choir4 ,this is further inferred when it is known that a former temple to ,augustus stood on the same site4 ,if this be so1 the reasoning is complete1 and the classical ornament here is of a very early date4 ,the fabric of the cathedral is1 in the main1 of a warm-coloured freestone1 not unlike dark marble1 but without its brilliancy and surface4 ,it comes from the heights of ,fourvire1--on whose haunches the cathedral sits1--and by virtue of the act of foundation it may be quarried at any time1 free of all cost1 for use by the ,church4 ,the situation of this cathedral is most attractive2 indeed its greatest charm may be said to be its situation1 so very picturesquely disposed is it1 with the ,quai de l',archevch between it and the river ,sane4 ,the choir itself--after allowing for the interpolation of the early non-,christian fragments--is the most consistently pleasing portion4 ,it presents in general a fairly pure1 early ,gothic design4 ,curiously enough1 this choir sits below the level of the nave and presents1 in the interior view1 an unusual effect of amplitude4 ,with the nave of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries1 the style becomes more mixed--localized1 one may say--if only consistent details might be traced4 ,at any rate1 the style grows perceptibly heavier and more involved1 without the simplicity of pre-,gothic work4 ,finally1 as one comes to the heavily capped towers1 there is little of grace and beauty left4 ,in detail1 at least1 if not in general1 ,st4 ,jean runs quite the whole scale of medival architectural style--from the pure ,romanesque to the definite1 if rather mixed1 ,gothic4 ,of the later elements1 the most remarkable is the fifteenth-century ,bourbon chapel1 built by ,cardinal ,charles and his brother ,pierre4 ,this chapel presents the usual richness and luxuriance of its time4 ,if all things are considered1 it is the chief feature of interest within the walls4 ,the west front has triple portals1 reminiscent1 as to dimensions1 of ,amiens1 though by no means so grandly peopled with statues2 the heavy1 stunted towers1 too1 are not unlike those of ,amiens4 ,these twin towers are of a decidedly heavy order1 and are not beautiful1 either as distinct features or as a component of the ensemble4 ,quite in keeping also are the chief decorations of the faade1 which are principally a series of superimposed medallions1 depicting1 variously1 the signs of the zodiac1 scenes from the life of ,st4 ,jean1 and yet others suggesting scenes and incidents from ,genesis1 with an admixture of heraldic symbolism which is here quite meaningless and singularly inappropriate1 while still other entablatures present scenes illustrating the ,legend of ,st4 ,nicholas and ,the ,law of ,aristotle4 ,the general effect of the exterior1 the faade in particular1 is very dark1 and except in a bright sunlight--which is usual--is indeed gloomy4 ,in all probability1 this is due to the discolouring of the soft stone of which the cathedral is built1 as the same effect is scarcely to be remarked in the interior4 ,in a tower on the south side--much lower1 and not so clumsily built up as the twin towers--hangs one of the greatest bourdons in ,france4 ,it was cast in #affb1 and weighs ten thousand kilos4 ,another curiosity of a like nature is to be seen in the interior1 an astronomical clock--known to ,mr4 ,tristram as that great clock of ,lippius of ,basle4 ,possessed of a crowing cock and the usual toy-book attributes1 this great clock is a source of perennial pride to the native and the makers of guide-books4 ,sterne1 too1 it would appear1 waxed unduly enthusiastic over this really ingenious thing of wheels and cogs4 ,he said3 ,i never understood the least of mechanism4 ,i declare ,i was never able yet to comprehend the principles of a squirrel-cage or a knife-grinder's wheel1 yet ,i will go see this wonderful clock the first thing ,i do4 ,when he did see it1 he quaintly observed that it was all out of joint4 ,the rather crude coloured glass--though it is precious glass1 for it dates from the thirteenth century1 in part--sets off bountifully an interior which would otherwise appear somewhat austere4 ,in the nave is a marble pulpit which has been carved with more than usual skill4 ,it ranks with that in ,st4 ,maurice1 at ,vienne1 as one of the most beautiful in ,france4 ,the cathedral possesses two reliques of real importance in the crosses which are placed to the left and right of the high-altar4 ,these are conserved by a unique custom1 in memory of an attempt made by a concile gnral of the church1 held in ,lyon in #abgd1 to reconcile the ,latin and ,greek forms of religion4 ,the sacristy1 in which the bountiful1 though not historic1 trsor is kept1 is in the south transept4 ,among the archives of the cathedral there are1 says a local antiquary1 documents of a testamentary nature1 which provided the means for the up-keep of the fabric without expense to the church1 until well into the eighteenth century4 ,on the apex of the height which rises above the cathedral is the ,basilique de ,notre ,dame de ,fourvire--one of those places of pilgrimage1 the most venerated in all the world1 says a confident ,french writer4 ,this may be so2 it overlooks ground which has long been hallowed by the ,church1 to a far greater degree than many other parts1 but1 like so many places of pilgrimage of a modern day1 its nondescript religious edifice is enough to make the church-lover willingly pass it by4 ,the site is that of the ancient ,forum ,vetus of the ,romans1 and as such is more appealing to most than as a place of pilgrimage4 ,v ,,st4 ,,maurice ,,de ,,vienne ,at the feet of seven mountains2 on the banks of a large river2 an antique city and a cit neuve4 --,,fran,,ois ,,ponsard4 ,though widowed to-day of its bishop's throne1 ,vienne enjoys with ,lyon the distinction of having its name attached to an episcopal see4 ,the ancient archbishopric ruled over what was known as the ,province of ,vienne1 which1 if not more ancient than that of ,lyon1 dates from the same century--the second of our ,christian era--and probably from a few years anterior1 as it is known that ,st4 ,crescent1 the first prelate of the diocese1 was firmly established here as early as #aah ,a4 ,d4 ,in any event1 it was one of the earliest centres of ,christianity north of the ,alps4 ,to-day1 being merged with the diocese of ,lyon1 ,vienne is seldom credited as being a cathedral city4 ,locally the claim is very strongly made1 but the ,mediterranean tourist never finds this out1 unless1 perchance1 he drops off from the railway in order to make acquaintance with that remarkable ,roman temple to ,augustus1 of which he may have heard4 ,then he will learn from the habitants that by far their greatest respect and pride are for their ancienne ,cathdrale de ,st4 ,maurice1 which sits boldly upon a terrace dominating the course of the river ,rhne4 ,in many respects ,st4 ,maurice de ,vienne will strike the student and lover of architecture as being one of the most lively and appealing edifices of its kind4 ,the ,lombard origin of many of its features is without question2 notably the delightful gallery on the north side1 with its supporting columns of many grotesque shapes4 ,again the parapet and terrace which precede this church1 the ground-plan1 and some of the elevations are pure ,lombard in motive4 ,there are no transepts and no ancient chapels at the eastern termination2 the windows running down to the pavement4 ,this1 however1 does not make for an appearance at all outr--quite the reverse is the case4 ,the general effect of the entire internal distribution of parts1 with its fine approach from the nave to the sanctuary and choir1 is exceedingly notable4 ,of the remains of the edifice1 which was erected on the foundations of a still earlier church1 in #ajeb 7reconstructed in #aeae71 we have those of the primitive1 but rich1 ornamentation of the faade as the most interesting and appealing4 ,the north doorway1 too1 indicates in its curious bas-reliefs1 of the twelfth or thirteenth centuries1 a luxuriance which in the north--in the ,romanesque churches at least--came only with later centuries4 ,there are few accessories of note to be seen in the choir or chapels3 a painting of ,st4 ,maurice by ,desgoffs1 a small quantity of fourteenth-century glass1 the mausoleum of ,cardinal de ,montmorin1 a sixteenth-century tomb1 and1 in one of the chapels1 some modern glass of more than usual brilliance4 ,the pulpit is notable1 and1 with that in ,st4 ,jean de ,lyon1 ranks as one of the most elaborate in ,france4 ,for the rest1 one's admiration for ,st4 ,maurice de ,vienne must rest on the glorious antiquity of the city1 as a centre of civilizing and ,christianizing influence4 ,when ,pope ,paschal ,,ii4 7#ajii-aaah7 confirmed the metropolitan privileges of ,vienne1 and sent the pallium to its archbishop1 he assigned to him as suffragans the bishops of ,grenoble1 ,valence1 ,di1 ,viviers1 ,geneva1 and ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne1 and conferred upon him the honorary office of primate over ,monstiers in ,tarentaise4 ,still later1 ,calixtus ,,ii4 7#aaai-bd7 favoured the archbishopric still further by not only confirming the privileges which had gone before1 but investing the archbishop with the still higher dignity of the office of primate over the seven ecclesiastical ,provinces of ,vienne1 ,bourges1 ,bordeaux1 ,auch1 ,narbonne1 ,aix1 and ,embrun4 ,illustration ,,vi ,,st4 ,,apollinaire ,,de ,,valence ,valence1 the ,valentia of the ,romans1 is variously supposed to be situated in southeastern ,france1 ,provence1 and the ,cevennes4 ,for this reason it will be difficult for the traveller to locate his guide-book reference thereto4 ,it is1 however1 located in the ,rhne valley on the very banks of that turgid river1 and it seems inexplicable that the makers of the red-covered couriers do not place it more definitely2 particularly in that it is historically so important a centre4 ,the most that can usually be garnered by the curious is that it is well built in parts1 and that those parts only are of interest to the traveller4 ,as a matter of fact1 they are nothing of the sort2 and the boulevards1 of which so much is made1 are really very insignificant2 so1 too1 are the cafs and restaurants1 to which far more space is usually given than to the claim of ,valence as an early centre of ,christianity4 ,valence is not a great centre of population1 and is appealing by reason of its charming situation1 in a sort of amphitheatre1 before which runs the swift-flowing ,rhne4 ,there is no great squalor1 but there is a picturesqueness and charm which is wholly dispelled in the newer quarters1 of which the guide-books speak4 ,there is1 moreover1 in the cathedral of ,st4 ,apollinaire1 a small but highly interesting ,romanesque-,auvergnian cathedral2 rebuilt and reconsecrated by ,urban ,,ii41 in the eleventh century1 and again reconstructed1 on an entirely new plan1 in #afjd4 ,besides this curious church there is a ,protestant temple1 which occupies the former chapel of the ancient ,abbey of ,st4 ,rufus1 that should have a singularly appealing interest for ,english-speaking folk4 ,the prfecture occupies another portion of the abbey1 which in its various disintegrated parts is worthy of more than passing consideration4 ,the bishopric was founded here at ,valence in the fourth century--when ,emelien became the first bishop4 ,the see endures to-day as a suffragan of ,avignon2 whereas formerly it owed obedience to ,vienne 7now ,lyon et ,vienne74 ,the ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,apollinaire is almost wholly conceived and executed in what has come to be known as the ,lombard style4 ,the main body of the church is preceded on the west by an extravagant rectangular tower1 beneath which is the portal or entrance2 if1 as in the present instance1 the comprehensive meaning of the word suggests something more splendid than a mere doorway4 ,there has been remarked before now that there is a suggestion of the ,corinthian order in the columns of both the inside and outside of the church4 ,this is a true enough detail of ,lombard forms as it was of the ,roman style1 which in turn was borrowed from the ,greeks4 ,in later times the neo-classical details of the late ,renaissance period produced quite a different effect1 and were in no way comparable to the use of this detail in the ,lombard and ,romanesque churches4 ,in ,st4 ,apollinaire1 too1 are to be remarked the unusual arch formed of a rounded trefoil4 ,this is found in both the towers1 and is also seen in ,st4 ,maurice at ,vienne1 but not again until the country far to the northward and eastward is reached1 where they are more frequent1 therefore their use here may be considered simply as an interpolation brought from some other soil1 rather than an original conception of the local builder4 ,here also is seen the unusual combination of an angular pointed arch in conjunction with the round-headed ,lombard variety4 ,this1 in alternation for a considerable space1 on the south side of the cathedral4 ,it is a feature perhaps not worth mentioning1 except from the fact that both the trefoil and wedge-pointed arch are singularly unbeautiful and little in keeping with an otherwise purely southern structure4 ,the aisles of ,st4 ,apollinaire1 like those of ,notre ,dame de la ,grande at ,poitiers1 and many other ,lombardic churches1 are singularly narrow1 which of course appears to lengthen them out interminably4 ,if any distinctive style can be given this small but interesting cathedral1 it may well be called the style of ,lyonnaise4 ,it dates from the twelfth century as to its foundations1 but was rebuilt on practically a new ground-plan in #afjd4 ,to-day it is cruciform after the late elongated style1 with lengthy transepts and lofty aisles4 ,the chief feature to be observed of its exterior is its heavy square tower 7#ahg feet7 of four stories4 ,it is not beautiful1 and was rebuilt in the middle nineteenth century1 but it is imposing and groups satisfactorily enough with the ensemble round about4 ,beneath this tower is a fine porch worked in ,crussol marble4 ,there is no triforium or clerestory4 ,in the choir is a cenotaph in white marble to ,pius ,,vi41 who was exiled in ,valence1 and who died here in #agii4 ,it is surmounted by a bust by ,canova1 whose work it has become the fashion to admire sedulously4 ,,vii ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,viviers ,the bishopric of ,viviers is a suffragan of ,avignon1 and is possessed of a tiny cathedral church1 which1 in spite of its diminutive proportions1 overtops quite all the other buildings of this ancient capital of the ,vivarais4 ,the city is a most picturesque setting for any shrine1 with the narrow1 tortuous streets--though slummy ones--winding to the cliff-top on which the city sits high above the waters of the ,rhne4 ,the choir of this cathedral is the only portion which warrants remark4 ,it is of the fourteenth century1 and has no aisles4 ,it is in the accepted ,gothic style1 but this again is coerced by the ,romanesque flanking tower1 which1 to all intents and purposes1 when viewed from afar1 might well be taken for a later ,renaissance work4 ,a nearer view dissects this tower into really beautiful parts4 ,the base is square1 but above--in an addition of the fifteenth century--it blooms forth into an octagon of quite original proportions4 ,in the choir are some ,gobelin tapestries and paintings by ,mignard2 otherwise there are no artistic attributes to be remarked4 ,,viii ,,notre ,,dame ,d',,orange ,the independent principality of ,orange 7which had existed since the eleventh century71 with the papal ,state of ,avignon1 the tiny ,comt ,venaissin1 and a small part of ,provence were welded into the ,department of ,vaucluse in the redistribution of political divisions under ,napoleon ,i4 ,the house of ,nassau retains to-day the honorary title of ,princes of ,orange1 borne by the heir apparent to the throne of ,holland4 ,more anciently the city was known as the ,roman ,arausio1 and is yet famous for its remarkable ,roman remains1 the chief of which are its triumphal arch and theatre--one of the largest and most magnificent1 if not actually the largest1 of its era4 ,the history of the church at ,orange is far more interesting and notable than that of its rather lame apology for a cathedral of rank4 ,the see succumbed in #agij in favour of ,avignon1 an archbishopric1 and ,valence1 one of its suffragans4 ,the persecution and oppression of the ,protestants of ,orange and ,dauphin are well-recorded facts of history4 ,a supposedly liberal and tolerant maker of guide-books 7in ,english7 has given inhabitants of ,orange a hard reputation by classing them as a ferocious people4 ,this rather unfair method of estimating their latter-day characteristics is based upon the fact that over three hundred perished here by the guillotine during the first three months of the ,revolution4 ,it were better had he told us something of the architectural treasures of this ville de l'art clbre4 ,he does mention the chief1 also that the town has many mosquitoes1 but1 as for churches1 he says not a word4 ,the first bishop was ,st4 ,luce1 who was settled here in the fourth century1 at the same time that ,st4 ,ruff came to ,avignon4 ,as a bishopric1 ,orange was under the control of ,st4 ,trophime's successors at ,arles4 ,notre ,dame d',orange is a work of little architectural pretence1 though its antiquity is great as to certain portions of its walls4 ,the oldest portion dates from #ajhe1 though there is little to distinguish it from the more modern additions and reparations1 and is in no way suggestive of the splendour with which the ancient ,roman theatre and arch were endowed4 ,the chief attribute to be remarked is the extreme width of nave1 which dates from #ajhe to #aabf4 ,the cathedral itself1 however1 is not an architectural example of any appealing interest whatever1 and pales utterly before the magnificent and splendid preservations of secular ,roman times4 ,since1 however1 ,orange is a city reminiscent of so early a period of ,christianity as the fourth century1 it is to be presumed that other ,christian edifices of note may have at one time existed3 if so1 no very vivid history of them appears to have been left behind1 and certainly no such tangible expressions of the art of church-building as are seen in the neighbouring cities of the ,rhne valley4 ,illustration ,,ix ,,st4 ,v,,ran ,,de ,,cavaillon ,it is the plain of ,cavaillon which is the market-garden of ,avignon2 from whence come the panniers of vegetables and fruits1 the buissons d'artichauts1 and the melons of 'high reputation4' ,such is the rather free paraphrase of a most charmingly expressed observation on this ,provenal land of plenty1 written by an eighteenth-century ,frenchman4 ,if it was true in those days1 it is no less true to-day1 and1 though this book is more concerned with churches than with potagerie1 the observation is made that this fact may have had not a little to do with the early foundation of the church1 here in a plenteous region1 where it was more likely to prosper than in an impoverished land4 ,the bishopric was founded in the fifth century by ,st4 ,genialis1 and it endured constantly until the suppression in #agij4 ,all interest in ,cavaillon1 in spite of its other not inconsiderable claims1 will be centred around its ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,vran1 immediately one comes into contact therewith4 ,the present structure is built upon a very ancient foundation2 some have said that the primitive church was of the seventh century4 ,this present cathedral was consecrated by ,pope ,innocent ,,iv4 in person1 in #abei1 and for that reason possesses a considerable interest which it would otherwise lack4 ,externally the most remarkable feature is the arrangement and decoration of the apside--there is hardly enough of it to come within the classification of the chevet4 ,here the quintuple flanks1 or sustaining walls1 are framed each with a pair of columns1 of graceful enough proportions in themselves1 but possessed of inordinately heavy capitals4 ,an octagonal cupola1 an unusual1 and in this case a not very beautiful feature1 crowns the centre of the nave4 ,in reality it serves the purpose of a lantern1 and allows a dubious light to trickle through into the interior1 which is singularly gloomy4 ,to the right of the nave is a curiously attenuated clocher1 which bears a clock-face of minute proportions1 and holds a clanging bourdon1 which1 judging from its voice1 must be as proportionately large as the clock-face is small4 ,beneath this tower is a doorway leading from the nave to the cloister1 a beautiful work dating from a much earlier period than the church itself4 ,this cloister is not unlike that of ,st4 ,trophime at ,arles1 and1 while plain and simple in its general plan of rounded arches and vaulting1 is beautifully worked in stone1 and admirably preserved4 ,in spite of its severity1 there is no suggestion of crudity1 and there is an elegance and richness in its sculptured columns and capitals which is unusual in ecclesiastical work of the time4 ,the interior of this church is quite as interesting as the exterior4 ,there is an ample1 though aisleless1 nave1 which1 though singularly dark and gloomy1 suggests a vastness which is perhaps really not justified by the actual state of affairs4 ,a very curious arrangement is that the supporting wall-pillars--in this case a sort of buttress1 like those of the apside--serve to frame or enclose a series of deep-vaulted side chapels4 ,the effect of this is that all of the flow of light1 which might enter by the lower range of windows1 is practically cut off from the nave4 ,what refulgence there is--and it is not by any means of the dazzling variety--comes in through the before-mentioned octagon and the upper windows of the nave4 ,in a chapel--the gift of ,philippe de ,cabassole1 a friend of ,petrarch's--is a funeral monument which will even more forcibly recall the name and association of the poet4 ,it is a seventeenth-century tomb of ,bishop ,jean de ,sade1 a descendant of the famous ,laura1 whose ashes formerly lay in the glise des ,cordeliers at ,avignon1 but which were1 it is to be feared1 scattered to the winds by the ,revolutionary fury4 ,at the summit of ,mont ,st4 ,jacques1 which rises high above the town1 is the ancient ,ermitage de ,st4 ,vran2 a place of local pilgrimage1 but not otherwise greatly celebrated4 ,x ,,notre ,,dame ,,des ,,doms ,d',,avignon ,it would be difficult to say with precision whether ,avignon were more closely connected in the average mind with the former papal splendour1 with ,petrarch and his ,laura1 or with the famous ,flibrage4 ,avignon literally reeks with sentimental associations of a most healthy kind4 ,no probable line of thought suggested by ,avignon's historied and romantic past will intimate even the mawkish1 the sordid1 or the banal4 ,it is1 in almost limitless suggestion1 the city of ,france above all others in which to linger and drink in the life of its past and present to one's fullest capacities4 ,for the literary pilgrim1 first and foremost will be ,avignon's association with ,petrarch1 or rather he with it4 ,for this reason it shall be disposed of immediately1 though not in one word1 or ten2 that would be impossible4 ,illustration3 ,notre ,dame des ,doms d',avignon ',the grave of ,laura6' said ,i4 ',indeed1 my dear sir1 ,i am obliged to you for having mentioned it1' were the words with which the local bookseller was addressed by an eighteenth-century traveller4 ',otherwise one might have gone away1 to their everlasting sorrow and shame1 without having seen this curiosity of your city4' ,the same record of travel describes the guardian of this shrine as a converted ,jew1 who1 from one year's end to another1 has but two duties to perform1 which he most punctually attends to4 ,the one to take care of the grave of ,laura1 and to show it to strangers1 the other to give them information respecting all the curiosities4 ,before his conversion1 he stood at the corner by the ,htel de ,ville offering lottery tickets to passers-by1 and asking1 till he was hoarse1 if they had anything to sell4 ,not a soul took the least notice of him4 ,his beard proved a detriment in all his speculations4 ,now that he has become a ,christian1 it is wonderful how everything thrives with him4 ,at the very end of the ,rue des ,lices will be found the last remains of the glise des ,cordeliers--reduced at the ,revolution to a mere tower and its walls4 ,here may be seen the spot where was the tomb of ,laura de ,sade4 ,arthur ,young1 writing just before the ,revolution1 described it as below2 though since that time still other changes have taken place1 with the result that ,laura's ,grave is little more than a memory to-day1 and a vague one at that4 ,the grave is nothing but a stone in the pavement1 with a figure engraved on it already partly effaced1 surrounded by an inscription in ,gothic letters1 and another on the wall adjoining1 with the armorial bearings of the ,de ,sade family4 ,to-day nothing but the site--the location--of the tomb is still there1 the before-mentioned details having entirely disappeared4 ,the vault was apparently broken open at the ,revolution1 and its ashes scattered4 ,it was here at ,avignon1 in the glise de ,st4 ,claire1 as ,petrarch himself has recorded1 that he first met ,laura de ,sade4 ,the present mood is an appropriate one in which to continue the ,petrarchian pilgrimage countryward--to the famous ,vaucluse4 ,here ,petrarch came as a boy1 in #acac1 and1 if one chooses1 he may have his djeuner at the ,htel ,ptrarque et ,laure2 not the same1 of course1 of which ,petrarch wrote in praise of its fish of ,sorgues2 but you will have them as a course at lunch nevertheless4 ,here1 too1 the famed ,fontaine first comes to light and air2 and above it hangs ,petrarch's ,castle1 which is not ,petrarch's castle1 nor ever was4 ,it belonged originally to the bishops of ,cavaillon1 but it is possible that ,petrarch was a guest there at various times1 as we know he was at the more magnificent ,palais des ,papes at ,avignon4 ,this chteau of the bishops hangs perilously on a brow which rises high above the torrential ,fontaine1 and1 if sentiment will not allow of its being otherwise ignored1 it is permissible to visit it1 if one is so inclined4 ,no special hardship is involved1 and no great adventure is likely to result from this journey countryward4 ,tourists have been known to do the thing before just to get a few snapshots of the fountain4 ,as to why the palace of the popes came into being at ,avignon is a question which suggests the possibilities of the making of a big book4 ,the popes came to ,avignon at the time of the ,italian partition1 on the strength of having acquired a grant of the city from ,joanna of ,naples1 for which they were supposed to give eighty thousand golden crowns4 ,they never paid the bill1 however2 from which fact it would appear that financial juggling was born at a much earlier period than has hitherto been supposed4 ,seven popes reigned here1 from #acje to #acgj2 when1 on the termination of the ,schism1 it became the residence of a papal legate4 ,subsequently ,louis ,,xiv4 seized the city1 in revenge for an alleged affront to his ambassador1 and ,louis ,,xv4 also held it for ten years4 ,the curious fact is here recalled that1 by the treaty of ,tolentino 7#abth ,february1 #agig71 the papal power at ,rome conceded formally for the first time--to ,napoleon ,i4--their ancient territory of ,avignon4 ,on the terms of this treaty alone was ,pope ,pius allowed to remain nominal master of even shreds of the patrimony of ,st4 ,peter4 ,the significant events of ,avignon's history are too great in purport and number to be even catalogued here1 but the magnificent papal residence1 from its very magnitude and luxuriance1 compels attention as one of the great architectural glories1 not only of ,france1 but of all ,europe as well4 ,here sat1 for the major portion of the fourteenth century1 the papal court of ,avignon2 which the uncharitable have called a synonym for profligacy1 veniality1 and luxurious degeneracy4 ,here1 of course1 were held the conclaves by which the popes of that century were elected2 significantly they were all ,frenchmen1 which would seem to point to the fact of corruption of some sort1 if nothing more4 ,rienzi1 the last of the tribunes1 was a prisoner within the walls of this great papal stronghold1 and ,simone ,memmi of ,sienna was brought therefrom to decorate the walls of the popes' private chapel2 ,petrarch was persona grata here1 and many other notables were frequenters of its hospitality4 ,the palace walls rise to a height of nearly ninety feet1 and its battlemented towers add another fifty2 from which one may infer that its stability was great2 an effect which is still further sustained when the great thickness of its sustaining walls is remarked1 and the infrequent piercings of windows and doorways4 ,this vast edifice was commenced by ,pope ,clement ,v4 in the early years of the thirteenth century1 but nothing more than the foundations of his work were left1 when ,benedict ,,xii41 thirty years later1 gave the work into the hands of ,peter ,obreri--who must have been the ,viollet-le-,duc of his time4 ,revolution's destroying power played its part here1 as generally throughout ,france1 in defacing shrines1 monuments1 and edifices1 civil and ecclesiastical1 with little regard for sentiment and absolutely none for reason4 ,the mob attacked the papal palace with results more disastrous than the accumulated debasement of preceding centuries4 ,the later rgime1 which turned the magnificent halls of this fortress-like palace into a mere barracks--as it is to-day--was quite as iconoclastic in its temperament4 ,one may realize here1 to the full1 just how far a great and noble achievement of the art and devotion of a past age may sink4 ,the ancient papal palace at ,avignon--the former seat of the power of the ,roman ,catholic religion--has become a mere barracks6 ,to contemplate it is more sad even than to see a great church turned into a stable or an abattoir--as can yet be seen in ,france4 ,in its plan this magnificent building preserves its outlines1 but its splendour of embellishment has very nearly been eradicated1 as may be observed if one will crave entrance of the military incumbent4 ,illustration3 ,,villeneuve-4 les-,,avignon ,in #acgf ,pope ,gregory ,,xi4 left ,avignon for ,rome1--after him came the two anti-popes1--and thus ended what ,petrarch has called ,l',empia ,babilonia4 ,the cathedral of ,notre ,dame des ,doms pales perceptibly before the splendid dimensions of the papal palace1 which formerly encompassed a church of its own of much more artistic worth4 ,in one respect only does the cathedral lend a desirable note to the ensemble4 ,this1 by reason of its commanding situation--at the apex of the ,rocher des ,doms--and by the gilded statue of the ,virgin which surmounts the tower1 and supplies just the right quality of colour and life to a structure which would be otherwise far from brilliant4 ,from the opposite bank of the ,rhne--from ,villeneuve-les-,avignon--the view of the parent city1 the papal residence1 the cathedral1 and that unusual southern attribute1 the beffroi1 all combine in a most glorious picture of a superb beauty2 quite rivalling--though in a far different manner--that plague spot of immorality1--,monte ,carlo1 which is mostly thought to hold the palm for the sheer beauty of natural situation4 ,the cathedral is chiefly of the twelfth century1 though even a near-by exterior view does not suggest any of the ,gothic tendencies of that era4 ,it is more like the heavy bungling style which came in with the ,renaissance2 but it is not that either1 hence it must be classed as a unique variety1 though of the period when the transition from the ,romanesque to ,gothic was making inroads elsewhere4 ,it has been said that the structure dates in part from the time of ,charlemagne1 but1 if so1 the usual splendid appointments of the true ,charlemagnian manner are sadly lacking4 ,there may be constructive foundations of the eleventh century1 but they are in no way distinctive1 and certainly lend no liveliness to a building which must ever be ranked as unworthy of the splendid environment4 ,as a church of cathedral rank1 it is a tiny edifice when compared with the glorious northern ground-plans3 it is not much more than two hundred feet in length1 and has a width which must be considerably less than fifty feet4 ,the entrance1 at the top of a long1 winding stair which rises from the street-level of the ,place du ,palais to the platform of the rock1 is essentially pagan in its aspect2 indeed it is said to have previously formed the portal of a pagan temple which at one time stood upon the site4 ,if this be so1 this great doorway--for it is far larger in its proportions than any other detail--is the most ancient of all the interior or exterior features4 ,the high pediment and roof may be pointed ,gothic1 or it may not2 at any rate1 it is in but the very rudimentary stage4 ,authorities do not agree2 which carries the suggestion still further that the cathedral at ,avignon is of itself a queer1 hybrid thing in its style1 and with not a tithe of the interest possessed by its more magnificent neighbour4 ,the western tower1 while not of great proportions1 is rather more massive than the proportions of the church body can well carry4 ,what decoration it possesses carries the pagan suggestion still further1 with its superimposed fluted pillars and ,corinthian columns4 ,the gloomy interior is depressing in the extreme1 and whatever attributes of interest that it has are largely discounted by their unattractive setting4 ,there are a number of old paintings1 which1 though they are not the work of artists of fame1 might possibly prove to be of creditable workmanship1 could one but see them through the gloom4 ,in the before-mentioned porch are some frescoes by ,simone ,memmi1 executed by him in the fourteenth century1 when he came from ,sienna to do the decorations in the palace4 ,the side chapels are all of the fourteenth century2 that of ,st4 ,joseph1 now forming the antechamber of the sacristy1 contains a noteworthy ,gothic tomb and monument of ,pope ,john ,,xxii4 ,it is much mutilated to-day1 and is only interesting because of the personality connected therewith4 ,the custodian or caretaker is in this case a most persistently voluble person1 who will give the visitor little peace unless he stands by and hears her story through1 or flees the place1--which is preferable4 ,the niches of this highly florid ,gothic tomb were despoiled of their statues at the ,revolution1 and the recumbent effigy of the ,pope has been greatly disfigured4 ,a much simpler monument1 and one quite as interesting1 to another ,pope1 ,benedict ,,xii41--he who was responsible for the magnificence of the papal palace1--is in a chapel in the north aisle of the nave1 but the cicerone has apparently no pride in this particular shrine4 ,an ancient 7pagan87 altar is preserved in the nave4 ,it is not beautiful1 but it is undoubtedly very ancient and likewise very curious4 ,the chief accessory of interest for all will doubtless prove to be the twelfth-century papal throne4 ,it is of a pure white marble1 rather cold to contemplate1 but livened here and there with superimposed gold ornament4 ,what decoration there is1 chiefly figures representing the bull of ,st4 ,luke and the lion of ,st4 ,mark1 is simple and severe1 as befitted papal dignity4 ,to-day it serves the archbishop of the diocese as his throne of dignity1 and must inspire that worthy with ambitious hopes4 ,the chapter of the cathedral at ,avignon--as we learn from history--wears purple1 in company with cardinals and kings1 at all celebrations of the ,high ,mass of ,clara de ,falkenstein4 ,from a well-worn vellum quarto in the library at ,avignon one may read the legend which recounts the connection of ,ste4 ,clara de ,mont ,falcone with the mystery of the ,holy ,trinity2 from which circumstance the honour and dignity of the purple has been granted to the prelates of the cathedral4 ,no mention of ,avignon1 or of ,arles1 or of ,nmes could well be made without a reference to the revival of ,provenal literature brought about by the famous ,flibrage1 that brotherhood founded by seven poets1 of whom ,frederic ,mistral is the most popularly known4 ,the subject is too vast1 and too vastly interesting to be slighted here1 so perforce mere mention must suffice4 ,the word ,flibre was suggested by ,mistral1 who found it in an old hymn4 ,its etymology is uncertain1 but possibly it is from the ,greek1 meaning a lover of the beautiful4 ,the original number of the ,flibres was seven1 and they first met on the fte-day of ,ste4 ,estelle2 in whose honour they adopted the seven-pointed star as their emblem4 ,significantly1 the number seven has much to do with the ,flibres and ,avignon alike4 ,the enthusiastic ,flibre tells of ,avignon's seven churches1 its seven gates1 seven colleges1 seven hospitals1 and seven popes--who reigned at ,avignon for seven decades2 and further that the word ,flibre has seven letters1 as1 also1 has the name of ,mistral1 one of its seven founders--who took seven years in writing his epics4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame des ,,doms d',,avignon ,the machicolated walls1 towers1 and gateways of ,avignon1 which protected the city in medival times1 and--history tells us--sheltered twice as many souls as now1 are in a remarkable state of preservation and completeness1 and rank foremost among the masterworks of fortification of their time4 ,this outer wall1 or enceinte1 was built at the instigation of ,clement ,,vi41 in #acdi1 and was the work of but fourteen years4 ,a hideously decorated building opposite the papal palace--now the ,conservatoire de ,musique--was formerly the papal mint4 ,the ruined bridge of ,st4 ,bnezet1 built in the twelfth century1 is a remarkable example of the engineering skill of the time4 ,surmounting the four remaining arches--still perfect as to their configuration--is a tiny chapel dedicated to ,st4 ,nicholas1 which formerly contained reliques of ,st4 ,bnezet4 ,the extraordinary circumstance which led up to the building of this bridge seems legendary1 to say the least4 ,it is recorded that ,st4 ,bnezet1 its founder1 who was a mere shepherd1 became inspired by ,god to undertake this great work4 ,the inspiration must likewise have brought with it not a little of the uncommon skill of the bridge-builder1 and1 considering the extent and scope of the projected work1 something of the spirit of benefaction as well4 ,the foundation was laid in #aaga1 and it was completed1 after seventeen years of labour1 in #aahh4 ,on this bridge1 near the entrance to the city1 was erected a hospital of religious persons1 who were denominated ,les ,frres du ,pont1 their offices being to preserve the fabric1 and to afford succour to all manner of travellers4 ,the boldness and utility of this undertaking1--it being the only means of communication between ,avignon and the ,french territory beyond the ,rhne1--as well as the permanency assured to it by the annexing of a religious foundation1 cannot fail to grant to the memory of its holy founder something more than a due share of veneration on behalf of his genius and perspicacity4 ,,xi ,,st4 ,,siffrein ,,de ,,carpentras ,the tiny city of ,carpentras1 most picturesquely situated on the equally diminutive river ,auzon which enters the ,rhne between ,orange and ,avignon1 was a ,roman colony under ,augustus1 and a bishopric under ,st4 ,valentin in the third century4 ,a suffragan of ,avignon1 the papal city1 the see was suppressed in #agij4 ,the ,bishops of ,carpentras1 it would appear1 were a romantic and luxury-loving line of prelates1 though this perhaps is aught against their more devout virtues4 ,they had a magnificent palace overhanging the famous ,fountain of ,vaucluse1 and repaired thither in medival times for the relaxation which they evidently much appreciated4 ,they must have been veritable patrons of literature and the arts1 as ,petrarch and his fellows-in-art were frequently of their household4 ,the ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,siffrein is dedicated to a former bishop of ,carpentras1 who died in the sixth century4 ,as this church now stands1 its stones are mainly of the early sixteenth century4 ,the west faade is entirely without character1 and is pierced at the pavement with a gross central doorway flanked by two others2 poor copies of the ,greco-,romain style1 which1 in many of its original forms1 was certainly more pleasing than here4 ,each of these smaller doorways have for their jambs two beautifully toned columns of red jasper1 from a baptistre of which there are still extensive remains at ,venasque near by4 ,this baptistre1 by the way1 and its neighbouring ,romanesque and ,gothic church1 is quite worth the energy of making the journey countryward1 eleven kilometres from ,carpentras1 to see4 ,it is nominally of the tenth century1 but is built up from fragments of a former ,temple to ,venus1 and its situation amid the rocks and tree-clad hilltops of the ,nesque valley is most agreeable4 ,the portal on the south side--though1 for a fact1 it hardly merits the dignity of such a classification--is most ornately sculptured4 ,a figure of the ,virgin1 in the doorway1 it locally known as ,notre ,dame des ,neiges4 ,much iconographic symbolism is to be found in this doorway1 capable of various plausible explanations which shall not be attempted here4 ,it must suffice to say that nowhere in this neighbourhood1 indeed possibly not south of the ,loire1 is so varied and elaborate a collection of symbolical stone-carving to be seen4 ,there is no regularly completed tower to ,st4 ,siffrein1 but a still unachieved tenth-century clocher in embryo attaches itself on the south4 ,the interior presents the general effect of ,gothic1 and1 though of late construction1 is rather of the primitive order4 ,there are no aisles1 but one single nave1 very wide and very high1 while the apse is very narrow1 with lateral chapels4 ,against the western wall are placed four paintings2 not worthy of remark1 perhaps1 except for their great size4 ,they are of the seventeenth or eighteenth century4 ,a private corridor1 or gallery1 leads from this end of the church to the episcopal palace1 presumably for the sole use of the bishops and their guests4 ,the third chapel on the right is profusely decorated and contains a valuable painting by ,dominique de ,carton4 ,another contains a statue of the ,virgin1 of the time of ,louis ,,xiv41 and is very beautiful4 ,a tomb of ,bishop ,laurent ,buti 7d4 #agaj7 is set against the wall1 where the apse adjoins the nave4 ,rearward on the high-altar is a fine painting by an unknown artist of the ,italian school4 ,the old-time cathedral of ,st4 ,siffrein was plainly not of the poverty-stricken class1 as evinced by the various accessories and details of ornamentation mentioned above4 ,it had1 moreover1 in conjunction with it1 a most magnificent and truly palatial episcopal residence1 built by a former cardinal-bishop1 ,alexandri ,bichi1 in #afdj4 ,to-day it serves the functions of the ,palais de ,justice and a prison2 in the latter instance certainly a fall from its hitherto high estate4 ,built about by this ancient residence of the prelates of the ,church is also yet to be seen1 in much if not quite all of its pristine glory1 a ,gallo-,romain arc de ,triomphe of considerable proportions and much beauty of outline and ornament4 ,as to period1 ,prosper ,mrime1 to whom the preservation of the ancient monuments of ,france is largely due1 has said that it is contemporary with its compeer at ,orange 7first or second century74 ,the ,porte d',orange1 in the ,grande ,rue1 is the only relique left at ,carpentras of the ancient city ramparts built in the fourteenth century by ,pope ,innocent ,,vi4 ,,xii ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,vaison ,the ,provenal town of ,vaison1 like ,carpentras and ,cavaillon1 is really of the basin of the ,rhne1 rather than of the region of the snow-crowned ,alps which form its background4 ,it is of little interest to-day as a cathedral city1 though the see dates from a foundation of the fourth century1 by ,st4 ,aubin1 until the suppression of #agij4 ,its former cathedral is hardly the equal of many others which have supported episcopal dignity1 but it has a few accessories and attributes which make it notable4 ,its nave is finely vaulted1 and there is an eleventh-century cloister1 which flanks the main body of the church on the left1 which would be remarked under any circumstances4 ,the cloister1 though practically a ruin1--but a well preserved one1--shows in its construction many beautiful ,gallo-,romain and early ,gothic columns which are exceedingly beautiful in their proportions4 ,in this cloister1 also1 are some fragments of early ,christian tombs1 which will offer unlimited suggestion to the archologist1 but which to the lover of art and architecture are quite unappealing4 ,the glise ,st4 ,quinin is a conglomerate edifice which has been built up1 in part1 from a former church which stood on the same site in the seventh century4 ,it is by no means a great architectural achievement as it stands to-day1 but is highly interesting because of its antiquity4 ,in the cathedral the chief article of real artistic value is a bnitier1 made from the capital of a luxurious ,corinthian column4 ,one has seen sun-dials and drinking-fountains made from pedestals and sarcophagi before--and the effect has not been pleasing1 and smacks not only of vandalism1 but of a debased ideal of art1 but this column-top1 which has been transformed into a bnitier1 cannot be despised4 ,the bte-noir of all this region1 and of ,vaison in particular1--if one is to believe local sentiment1--is the high sweeping wind1 which at certain seasons blows in a tempestuous manner4 ,the habitant used to say that le mistral1 le ,parlement1 et ,durance sont les trois flaux de ,provence4 ,illustration ,,xiii ,,st4 ,,trophime ,d',,arles ,in all the world that which interests me most is ,la ,fleur des ',glais' 444 ,it is a fine plant4444 ,it is the same as the ,fleurs des ,lis d',or of the arms of ,france and of ,provence4 --,,frederic ,,mistral4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,trophime d',,arles 444 ,two ,french writers of repute have recently expressed their admiration of the marvellous country1 and the contiguous cities1 lying about the mouth of the ,rhne2 among which are ,nmes1 ,aigues-,mortes1 and--of far greater interest and charm--,arles4 ,their opinions1 perhaps1 do not differ very greatly from those of most travellers1 but both ,madame ,duclaux1 in ,the ,fields of ,france1 and ,ren ,bazin1 in his ,rcits de la ,plaine et de la ,montagne1 give no palm1 one to the other1 with respect to their feeling for the mysterious charm of ,arles4 ,it is significant that in this region1 from ,vienne on the north to ,arles and ,nmes in the south1 are found such a remarkable series of ,roman remains as to warrant the statement by a ,french antiquarian that in ,rome itself are no such temples as at ,vienne and ,nmes1 no theatres so splendidly preserved as that at ,orange1--nor so large as that of ,arles1--and that the magnificent ruined colosseum on the ,tiber in no wise has the perfections of its compeer at ,nmes1 nor has any triumphal arch the splendid decorations of that at ,reims in the champagne country4 ,with these facts in view it is well to recall that many non-,christian influences asserted themselves from time to time1 and overshadowed for a temporary period those which were more closely identified with the growth of the ,church4 ,the ,commission des ,monuments ,historiques catalogue sixteen notable monuments in ,arles which are cared for by them3 the ,amphitheatre1 the remains of the ,forum1--now built into the faade of the ,htel du ,nord1--the remains of the ,palais de ,constantin1 the ,abbey of ,montmajour1 and the one-time cathedral of ,st4 ,trophime1 and its cloister--to particularize but a few4 ,to-day1 as anciently1 the ecclesiastical province is known as that of ,aix1 ,arles1 and ,embrun4 ,arles1 however1 for a time took its place as an archbishopric1 though to-day it joins hands again with ,aix and ,embrun2 thus1 while enjoying the distinction of being ranked as an archbishopric1 its episcopal residence is at ,aix4 ,it was at ,arles that the first1 and only1 ,english pope--,adrian ,breakspeare--first entered a monastic community1 after having been refused admission to the great establishment at ,st4 ,albans in ,hertfordshire1 his native place4 ,here1 by the utmost diligence1 he acquired the foundation of that great learning which resulted in his being so suddenly proclaimed the wearer of the tiara1 in #aaed4 ,st4 ,trophime came to ,arles in the first century1 and became the first bishop of the diocese4 ,the first church edifice on this site was consecrated in #fjf by ,st4 ,virgil1 under the vocable of ,st4 ,etienne4 ,in #aaeb the present church was built over the remains of ,st4 ,trophime1 which were brought thither from ,st4 ,honorat des ,alyscamps4 ,so far as the main body of the church is concerned1 it was completed by the end of the twelfth century1 and only in its interior is shown the development of the early ogival style4 ,the structure was added to in #adcj1 when the ,gothic choir was extended eastward4 ,the aisles are diminutively narrow1 and the window piercings throughout are exceedingly small2 all of which makes for a lack of brilliancy and gloom1 which may be likened to the average crypt4 ,the only radiance which ever penetrates this gloomy interior comes at high noon1 when the refulgence of a ,mediterranean sun glances through a series of long lancets1 and casts those purple shadows which artists love4 ,then1 and then only1 does the cathedral of ,st4 ,trophime offer any inducement to linger within its non-impressive walls4 ,the exterior view is1 too1 dull and gloomy--what there is of it to be seen from the ,place ,royale4 ,by far the most lively view is that obtained from across the ruins of the magnificent ,roman theatre just at the rear4 ,here the time-resisting qualities of secular ,roman buildings combine with the cathedral to present a bright1 sunny1 and appealing picture indeed4 ,st4 ,trophime is in no sense an unworthy architectural expression4 ,as a ,provenal type of the ,romanesque1--which it is mostly1--it must be judged as quite apart from the ,gothic which has crept in to but a slight extent4 ,the western portal is very beautiful1 and1 with cloister1 as interesting and elaborate as one could wish4 ,it is the generality of an unimposing plan1 a none too graceful tower and its uninteresting interior1 that qualifies the richness of its more luxurious details4 ,the portal of the west faade greatly resembles another at ,st4 ,gilles1 near by4 ,it is a profusely ornamented doorway with richly foliaged stone carving and elaborate bas-reliefs4 ,the tympanum of the doorway contains the figure of a bishop in sacerdotal costume1 doubtless ,st4 ,trophime1 flanked by winged angels and lions4 ,the sculptures here date perhaps from the period contemporary with the best work at ,paris and ,chartres1--well on into the ,middle ,ages1--when sculpture had not developed or perfected its style1 but was rather a bad copy of the antique4 ,this will be notably apparent when the stiffness and crudeness of the proportions of the figures are taken into consideration4 ,illustration3 ,cloisters1 ,st4 ,trophime d',arles ,the wonderful cloister of ,st4 ,trophime is1 on the east side1 of ,romanesque workmanship1 with barrel vaulting1 and dates from #aabj4 ,on the west it is of the transition style of a century later1 while on the north the vaulting springs boldly into the ,gothic of that period--well on toward #adjj4 ,the capitals of the pillars of this cloistered courtyard are most diverse1 and picture in delicately carved stone such scenes of ,bible history and legend as the unbelief of ,st4 ,thomas1 ,ste4 ,marthe and the ,tarasque1 etc4 ,it is a curious mlange of the vagaries of the stone carver of the ,middle ,ages1--these curiously and elaborately carved capitals1--but on the whole the ensemble is one of rare beauty1 in spite of non-,christian and pagan accessories4 ,these show at least how far superior the classical work of that time was to the later ,renaissance4 ,the cemetery of ,arles1 locally known as ,les ,alyscamps1 literally teems with medival and ancient funeral monuments2 though many1 of course1 have been removed1 and many have suffered the ravages of time1 to say nothing of the ,revolutionary period4 ,one portion was the old pagan burial-ground1 and another--marked off with crosses--was reserved for ,christian burial4 ,it must have been accounted most holy ground1 as the dead were brought thither for burial from many distant cities4 ,dant mentions it in the ,inferno1 ,canto ,,ix43 ,just as at ,arles where the ,rhne is stagnant ,the sepulchres make all the ground unequal4 ,ariosto1 in ,orlando ,furioso1 remarks it thus3 ,many sepulchres are in this land4 ,st4 ,rmy1 a few leagues to the northeast of ,arles1 is described by all writers as wonderfully impressive and appealing to all who come within its spell2--though the guide-books all say that it is a place without importance4 ,ren ,bazin has this to say3 ,st4 ,rmy1 ce n'est pas beau1 ce ,st4 ,rmy4 ,madame ,duclaux apostrophizes thus3 ,we fall at once in love with ,st4 ,rmy4 ,with this preponderance of modern opinion we throw in our lot as to the charms of ,st4 ,rmy2 and so it will be with most1 whether with regard to its charming environment or its historical monuments1 its arch1 or its funeral memorials4 ,one will only come away from this charming petite ville with the idea that1 in spite of its five thousand present-day inhabitants1 it is something more than a modern shrine which has been erected over a collection of ancient relics4 ,the little city breathes the very atmosphere of medivalism4 ,illustration ,,xiv ,,st4 ,,castor ,,de ,n,,mes ,like its neighbouring ,roman cities1 ,nmes lives mostly in the glorious past4 ,in attempting to realize--if only in imagination--the civilization of a past age1 one is bound to bear always in mind the motif which caused any great art expression to take place4 ,here at ,nmes the church builder had much that was magnificent to emulate1 leaving style apart from the question4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,castor de ,nmes ,he might1 when he planned the cathedral of ,st4 ,castor1 have avowed his intention of reaching1 if possible1 the grace and symmetry of the ,maison ,care2 the splendour of the temple of ,diana2 the majesty of the ,tour ,magna2 the grandeur of the arena2 or possibly in some measure a blend of all these ambitious results4 ,instead1 he built meanly and sordidly1 though mainly by cause of poverty4 ,the ,church of the ,middle ,ages1 though come to great power and influence1 was not possessed of the fabulous wealth of the vainglorious ,roman1 who gratified his senses and beautified his surroundings by a lavish expenditure of means1 acquired often in a none too honest fashion4 ,the imperative need of the soul was for a house of worship of some sort1 and in some measure relative to the rank of the prelate who was to guard their religious life4 ,this took shape in the early part of the eleventh century1 when the cathedral of ,st4 ,castor was built4 ,of the varied and superlative attractions of the city one is attempted to enlarge unduly2 until the thought comes that there is the making of a book itself to be fashioned out of a reconsideration of the splendid monuments which still exist in this city of celebrated art4 ,to enumerate them all even would be an impossibility here4 ,the tiny building known as the ,maison ,care is of that greatness which is not excelled by the ,divine ,comedy in literature1 the ,venus of ,milo in sculpture1 or the ,transfiguration in painting4 ,the delicacy and beauty of its ,corinthian columns are the more apparent when viewed in conjunction with the pseudo-classical portico of mathematical clumsiness of the modern theatre opposite4 ,this theatre is a dreadful caricature of the deathless work of the ,greeks1 while the perfect example of ,greco-,romain architecture--the ,maison ,care--will endure as long as its walls stand as the fullest expression of that sense of divine proportion and magique harmonie which the ,romans inherited from the ,greeks4 ,cardinal ,alberoni called it a gem which should be set in gold1 and both ,louis ,quatorze and ,napoleon had schemes for lifting it bodily from the ground and restablishing it at ,paris4 ,les ,arnes of ,nmes is an unparalleled work of its class1 and in far better preservation than any other extant4 ,it stands1 welcoming the stranger1 at the very gateway of the city1 its grand axe extending off1 in arcaded perspective1 over four hundred and twenty feet1 with room inside for thirty thousand souls4 ,these ,romans wrought on a magnificent scale1 and here1 as elsewhere1 they have left evidences of their skill which are manifestly of the non-decaying order4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the ,commission des ,monuments ,historiques lists in all at ,nmes nine of these historical monuments over which the paternal care of the ,ministre de l',instruction ,publique et des ,beaux ,arts ever hangs4 ,as if the only really fine element in the ,cathedral of ,st4 ,castor were the faade1 with its remarkable frieze of events of ,bible history1 the ,commission has singled it out for especial care1 which in truth it deserves1 far and away above any other specific feature of this church4 ,christianity came early to ,nmes2 or1 at least1 the bishopric was founded here1 with ,st4 ,felix as its first bishop1 in the fourth century4 ,at this time the diocese was a suffragan of ,narbonne1 whilst to-day its allegiance is to the archiepiscopal throne at ,avignon4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,castor was erected in #ajcj1 restored in the thirteenth century1 and suffered greatly in the wars of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries4 ,these depredations have been--in part--made good1 but in the main it is a rather gaunt and painful fabric1 and one which is unlooked for amid so magnificent neighbours4 ,it has been said by ,roger ,peyer--who has written a most enticing monograph on ,nmes--that without prejudice we can say that the churches constructed in the city dans nos jours are far in advance of the cathedral4 ,this is unquestionably true2 for1 if we except the very ancient faade1 with its interesting sculptured frieze1 there is little to impress the cathedral upon the mind except its contrast with its surrounding architectural peers4 ,the main plan1 with its flanking north-westerly square tower1 is reminiscent of hundreds of parish churches yet to be seen in ,italy2 while its portal is but a mere classical doorway1 too mean even to be classed as a detail of any rank whatever4 ,the faade has undergone some breaking-out and stopping-up of windows during the past decade2 for what purpose it is hard to realize1 as the effect is neither enhanced nor the reverse4 ,a gaunt supporting buttress1 or what not1 flanks the tower on the south and adds1 yet further1 to the incongruity of the ensemble4 ,in fine1 its decorations are a curious mixture of a more or less pure round-headed ,roman style of window and doorway1 with later ,renaissance and pseudo-classical interpolations4 ,with the interior the edifice takes on more of an interesting character1 though even here it is not remarkable as to beauty or grace4 ,the nave is broad1 aisleless1 and bare1 but presents an air of grandeur which is perhaps not otherwise justified2 an effect which is doubtless wholly produced by a certain cheerfulness of aspect1 which comes from the fact that it has been restored--or at least thoroughly furbished up--in recent times4 ,the large ,roman nave1 erected1 it has been said1 from the remains of a former temple of ,augustus1 has small chapels1 without windows1 beyond its pillars in place of the usual side aisles4 ,above is a fine gallery or tribune1 which also surrounds the choir4 ,the modern mural paintings--the product of the ,restoration period--give an air of splendour and elegance1 after the manner of the ,italian churches1 to an appreciably greater extent than is commonly seen in ,france4 ,in the third chapel on the left is an altar-table made of an early ,christian sarcophagus2 a questionable practice perhaps1 but forming an otherwise beautiful1 though crude1 accessory4 ,illustration ,,xv ,,st4 ,,th,,odorit ,d',,uz,s ,the ancient diocese of ,uzs formerly included that region lying between the ,ardche1 the ,rhne1 and the ,gardon1 its length and breadth being perhaps equal--fourteen ancient leagues4 ,as a bishopric1 it endured from the middle of the fifth century nearly to the beginning of the nineteenth4 ,in ancient ,gallic records its cathedral was reckoned as some miles from the present site of the town1 but as no other remains than those of ,st4 ,thodorit are known to-day1 it is improbable that any references in medival history refer to another structure4 ,this church is now no longer a cathedral1 the see having been suppressed in #agij4 ,the bishop here1 as at ,lodve and ,mende1 was the count of the town1 and the bishop and duke each possessed their castles and had their respective spheres of jurisdiction1 which1 says an old-time chronicler1 often occasioned many disputes4 ,obviously6 ,in the sixteenth century most of the inhabitants embraced the ,reformation after the example of their bishop1 who1 with all his chapter1 publicly turned ,protestant and sent for a minister to ,geneva4 ,what remains of the cathedral to-day is reminiscent of a highly interesting medival foundation1 though its general aspect is distinctly modern4 ,such rebuilding and restoration as it underwent1 in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries1 made of it practically a new edifice4 ,the one feature of mark1 which stands alone as the representative of medival times1 is the charming tower which flanks the main body of the church on the right4 ,it is known as the ,tour ,fenestrelle and is of the thirteenth century4 ,it would be a notable accessory to any great church1 and is of seven stories in height1 each dwindling in size from the one below1 forming a veritable campanile4 ,its height is #acj feet4 ,the interior attractions of this minor church are greater than might be supposed4 ,there is a low gallery with a superb series of wrought-iron grilles1 a fine tomb in marble--to ,bishop ,boyan--and in the transept two paintings by ,simon de ,chalons--a ,resurrection and a ,raising of ,lazarus4 ,the inevitable obtrusive organ-case is of the seventeenth century1 and like all of its kind is a parasitical abomination1 clinging precariously to the western wall4 ,the sacristy is an extensive suite of rooms which contain throughout a deep-toned and mellow oaken wainscot4 ,for the rest1 the lines of this church follow the conventionality of its time4 ,its proportions1 while not great1 are good1 and there is no marked luxuriance of ornament or any exceeding grace in the entire structure1 if we except the detached tower before mentioned4 ,the situation of the town is most picturesque2 not daintily pretty1 but of a certain dignified order1 which is the more satisfying4 ,the ancient chteau1 called ,le ,duch1 is the real architectural treat of the place4 ,,xvi ,,st4 ,,jean ,d',,alais ,alais is an ancient city1 but greatly modernized2 moreover it does not take a supreme rank as a cathedral city1 from the fact that it held a bishop's throne for but a hundred years4 ,alais was a bishopric only from #afid to #agij4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,jean is an imposing structure of that obtrusive variety of architectural art known as ,louis ,quinze1 and is unworthy of the distinction once bestowed upon it4 ,perhaps it is due to the fact that the ,cevenole country was so largely and aggressively ,protestant that the see of ,alais did not endure4 ,robert ,louis ,stevenson tells of a stranger he met in these mountain parts--that he was a ,catholic1 and made no shame of it4 ,no shame of it6 ,the phrase is a piece of natural statistics2 for it is the language of one of a minority4444 ,ireland is still ,catholic2 the ,cevennes still ,protestant4 ,outdoor rustics have not many ideas1 but such as they have are hardy plants and thrive flourishingly in persecution4 ,built about in the faade of this unfeeling structure are some remains of a twelfth-century church1 but they are not of sufficient bulk or excellence to warrant remark4 ,an advancing porch stands before this west faade and is surmounted by a massive tower in a poor ,gothic style4 ,the vast interior1 like the exterior1 is entirely without distinction1 though gaudily decorated4 ,there are some good pictures1 which1 as works of art1 are a decided advance over any other attributes of this church--an ,assumption1 attributed to ,mignard1 in the chapel of the ,virgin2 in the left transept1 a ,virgin by ,deveria2 and in the right transept an ,annunciation by ,jalabert4 ,alais is by no means a dull place4 ,it is busy with industry1 is prosperous1 and possesses on a minute scale all the distractions of a great city4 ,it is modern to the very core1 so far as appearances go4 ,it has its ,boulevard ,victor ,hugo1 its ,boulevard ,gambetta1 and its ,lyce ,dumas4 ,the ,hpital ,st4 ,louis--which has a curious doubly twisted staircase--is of the eighteenth century2 a bust of the ,marquis de la ,fre-,alais1 the ,cevenole poet1 is of the nineteenth2 a monument of bronze1 to the glory of ,pasteur1 dates from #ahif2 and various other bronze and stone memorials about the city all date and perpetuate the name and fame of eighteenth and nineteenth-century notables4 ,the ,muse--another recent creation--occupies the former episcopal residence1 of eighteenth-century construction4 ,the ,htel de ,ville is quite the most charming building of the city4 ,it has fine halls and corridors1 and an ample bibliothque4 ,its present-day ,salle du ,conseil was the ancient chamber of the tats du ,languedoc4 ,,xvii ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,annecy ,the ,savoian city of ,annecy was formerly the ancient capital of the ,genevois4 ,its past history is more closely allied with other political events than those which emanated from within the kingdom of ,france2 and its ecclesiastical allegiance was intimately related with ,geneva1 from whence the episcopal seat was removed in #aece4 ,in reality the ,christian activities of ,annecy had but little to do with the ,church in ,france1 ,savoie only having been ceded to ,france in #ahfj4 ,formerly it belonged to the ducs de ,savoie and the kings of ,sardinia4 ,annecy is a most interesting city1 and possesses many1 if not quite all1 of the attractions of ,geneva itself1 including the ,lake of ,annecy1 which is quite as romantically picturesque as ,lac ,leman1 though its proportions are not nearly so great4 ,the city's interest for the lover of religious associations is perhaps greater than for the lover of church architecture alone1 but1 as the two must perforce go hand in hand the greater part of the way1 ,annecy will be found to rank high in the annals of the history and art of the religious life of the past4 ,in the chapel of the ,visitation1 belonging to the convent of the same name1 are buried ,st4 ,franois de ,sales 7d4 #afbb7 and ,ste4 ,jeanne de ,chantal 7d4 #afda74 ,the chapel is architecturally of no importance1 but the marble ornament and sculptures and the rich paintings are interesting4 ,the ancient chapel of the ,visitation--the convent of the first monastery founded by ,st4 ,francis and ,ste4 ,jeanne--immediately adjoins the cathedral4 ,christianity first came to ,annecy in the fourth century1 with ,st4 ,emilien4 ,for long after its foundation the see was a suffragan of the ancient ecclesiastical province of ,vienne4 ,to-day it is a suffragan of ,chambry4 ,the rather ordinary cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre has no great interest as an architectural type1 and is possessed of no embellishments of a rank sufficiently high to warrant remark4 ,it dates only from the sixteenth century1 and is quite unconvincing as to any art expression which its builders may have possessed4 ,the episcopal palace 7#aghd7 adjoins the cathedral on the south4 ,illustration ,,xviii ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,chamb,,ry ,the city of ,chambry in the eighteenth century must have been a veritable hotbed of aristocracy4 ,a ,french writer of that day has indeed stated that it is the winter residence of all the aristocracy of ,savoie2 444 with twenty thousand francs one could live en grand seigneur2 444 a country gentleman1 with an income of a hundred and twenty louis d'or a year1 would as a matter of course take up his abode in the town for the winter4 ,to-day such a basis upon which to make an estimate of the value of ,chambry as a place of residence would be1 it is to be feared1 misleading4 ,arthur ,young closes his observations upon the agricultural prospects of ,savoie with the bold statement that3 ,on this day1 left ,chambry much dissatisfied1--for the want of knowing more of it4 ,rousseau knew it better1 much better4 ,s'il est une petite ville au monde o l'on gote la douceur de la vie dans un commerce agrable et sr1 c'est ,chambry4 ,savoie and the ,comt de ,nice were annexed to ,france only as late as #ahfj1 and from them were formed the departments of ,savoie1 ,haute-,savoie1 and the ,alpes-,maritimes4 ,chambry is to-day an archbishopric1 with suffragans at ,annecy1 ,tarentaise1 and ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne4 ,formerly conditions were reversed1 and ,chambry was merely a bishopric in the province de ,tarentaise4 ,its first bishop1 ,michel ,conseil1 came in office1 however1 only in #aghj4 ,the cathedral is of the fourteenth century1 in the pointed style1 and as a work of art is distinctly of a minor class4 ,the principal detail of note is a western portal which somewhat approaches good ,gothic1 but in the main1 both inside and out1 the church has no remarkable features1 if we except some modern glass1 which is better in colour than most late work of its kind4 ,as if to counteract any additional charm which this glass might otherwise lend to the interior1 we find a series of flamboyant traceries over the major portion of the side walls and vaulting4 ,these are garish and in every way unpleasing1 and the interior effect1 like that of the exterior1 places the cathedral at ,chambry far down the scale among great churches4 ,decidedly the architectural embellishments of ,chambry lie not in its cathedral4 ,the chapel of the ancient chteau1 dating in part from the thirteenth century1 but mainly of the ,gothic-,renaissance period1 is far and away the most splendid architectural monument of its class to be seen here4 ,la ,grande ,chartreuse is equally accessible from either ,chambry or ,grenoble1 and should not be neglected when one is attempting to familiarize himself with these parts4 ,illustration ,,xix ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,grenoble ,it is an open question as to whether ,grenoble is not possessed of the most admirable and impressive situation of any cathedral city of ,france4 ,at all events it has the attribute of a unique background in the massif de la ,chartreuse1 and the range of snow-clad ,alps1 which rise so abruptly as to directly screen and shelter the city from all other parts lying north and east4 ,furthermore this natural windbreak1 coupled with the altitude of the city itself1 makes for a bright and sunny1 and withal bracing1 atmosphere which many professed tourist and health resorts lack4 ,grenoble is in all respects a most pleasant city1 and one which contains much of interest for all sorts and conditions of pilgrims4 ,anciently ,grenoble was a bishopric in the diocese of the ,province of ,vienne1 to whose archbishop the see was at that time subordinate4 ,its foundation was during the third century1 and its first prelate was one ,domninus4 ,in the redistribution of dioceses ,grenoble became a suffragan of ,lyon et ,vienne1 which is its status to-day4 ,as might naturally be inferred1 in the case of so old a foundation1 its present-day cathedral of ,notre ,dame partakes also of early origin4 ,this it does1 to a small degree only1 with respect to certain of the foundations of the choir4 ,these date from the eleventh century1 while succeeding eras1 of a mixed and none too pure an architectural style1 culminate in presenting a singularly unconvincing and cold church edifice4 ,the pointed tabernacle1 which is the chief interior feature1 is of the middle fifteenth century1 and indeed the general effect is that of the late ,middle ,ages1 if not actually suggestive of still later modernity4 ,the tomb of ,archbishop ,chiss1 dating from #adjg1 is the cathedral's chief monumental shrine4 ,to the left of the cathedral is the ancient bishop's palace2 still used as such4 ,it occupies the site of an eleventh-century episcopal residence1 but the structure itself is probably not earlier than the fifteenth century4 ,in the glise de ,st4 ,andr1 a thirteenth-century structure1 is a tomb of more than usual sentimental and historical interest3 that of ,bayard4 ,it will be found in the transept4 ,no mention of ,grenoble could well ignore the famous monastery of ,la ,grande ,chartreuse4 ,mostly1 it is to be feared1 the monastery is associated in mundane minds with that subtle and luxurious liqueur which has been brewed by the white-robed monks of ,st4 ,bruno for ages past2 and was until quite recently1 when the establishment was broken up by government decree and the real formula of this sparkling liqueur departed with the migrating monks4 ,the opinion is ventured1 however1 that up to the time of their expulsion 7in #aijb71 the monks of ,st4 ,bruno combined solitude1 austerity1 devotion1 and charity of a most practical kind with a lucrative commerce in their distilled product after a successful manner not equalled by any religious community before or since4 ,illustration3 ,s4 ,bruno ,the ,order of ,st4 ,bruno has weathered many storms1 and1 during the ,terror1 was driven from its home and dispersed by brutal and riotous soldiery4 ,in #ahaf a remnant returned1 escorted1 it is said1 by a throng of fifty thousand people4 ,the cardinal rule of the ,carthusians is abstemiousness from all meat-eating2 which1 however1 in consideration of their calm1 regular life1 and a diet in which fish plays an important part1 is apparently conducive to that longevity which most of us desire4 ,it is related that a certain ,dominican pope wished to diminish the severity of ,st4 ,bruno's regulations1 but was met by a delegation of ,carthusians1 whose doyen owned to one hundred and twenty years1 and whose youngest member was of the ripe age of ninety4 ,the amiable pontiff1 not having1 apparently1 an argument left1 accordingly withdrew his edict4 ,of all these great ,charterhouses spread throughout ,france1 ,la ,grande ,chartreuse was the most inspiring and interesting2 not only from the structure itself1 but by reason of its commanding and romantic situation amid the forest-clad heights of the ,savoyan ,alps4 ,the first establishment here was the foundation of ,st4 ,bruno 7in #ajhd71 which consisted merely of a modest chapel and a number of isolated cubicles4 ,this foundation only gave way--as late as the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries--to an enlarged structure more in accord with the demands and usage of this period4 ,the most distinctive feature of its architecture is the grand cloister1 with its hundred and fifteen ,gothic arches1 out of which open the sixty cells of the sandalled and hooded white-robed monks1 who1 continuing ,st4 ,bruno's regulation1 live still in isolation4 ,in these cells they spent all of their time outside the hours of work and worship1 but were allowed the privilege of receiving one colleague at a time4 ,here1 too1 they ate their meals1 with the exception of the principal meal on ,sundays1 when they all met together in the refectory4 ,the glise de la ,grande ,chartreuse itself is very simple1 about the only distinctive or notable feature being the sixteenth-century choir-stalls4 ,at the midnight service1 or at matins1 when the simple church is lit only by flaming torches1 and the stalls filled with white-robed ,chartreux1 is presented a picture which for solemnity and impressiveness is as vivid as any which has come down from medival times4 ,the chanting of the chorals1 too1 is unlike anything heard before2 it has indeed been called1 before now1 angelic4 ,petrarch1 whose brother was a member of the order1 has put himself on record as having been enchanted by it4 ,as many as ten thousand visitors have passed through the portals of ,la ,grande ,chartreuse during the year1 but now in the absence of the monks--temporary or permanent as is yet to be determined--conditions obtain which will not allow of entrance to the conventual buildings4 ,no one1 however1 who visits either ,grenoble or ,chambry should fail to journey to ,st4 ,laurent du ,pont--the gateway of the fastness which enfolds ,la ,grande ,chartreuse1 and thence to beneath the shadow of the walls which for so long sheltered the parent house of this ancient and powerful order4 ,illustration3 ,belley ,,xx ,,belley ,,and ,,aoste ,en route to ,chambry1 from ,lyon1 one passes the little town of ,belley4 ,it is an ancient place1 most charmingly situated1 and is a suffragan bishopric1 strangely enough1 of ,besanon1 which is not only ,teutonic in its tendencies1 but is actually of the north4 ,at all events1 ,belley1 in spite of its clear and crisp mountain air1 is not of the same climatic zone as the other dioceses in the archbishopric of ,besanon4 ,its cathedral is distinctly minor as to style1 and is mainly ,gothic of the fifteenth century2 though not unmixed1 nor even consistent1 in its various parts4 ,no inconsiderable portion is modern1 as will be plainly seen4 ,one distinctly notable feature is a series of ,romanesque columns in the nave1 possibly taken from some pagan ,roman structure4 ,they are sufficiently of importance and value to be classed as ,monuments ,historiques1 and as such are interesting4 ,aoste 7,aoste-,st4-,genix7 is on the site of the ,roman colony of ,augustum1 of which to-day there are but a few fragmentary remains4 ,it is perhaps a little more than a mile from the village of ,st4 ,genix1 with which to-day its name is invariably coupled4 ,as an ancient bishopric in the province of ,tarentaise1 it took form in the fourth century1 with ,st4 ,eustache as its first bishop4 ,to-day the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of all this region--the ,val-de-,tarentaise--is held by ,tarentaise4 ,illustration ,,xxi ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,maurienne ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne is a tiny mountain city well within the advance-guard of the ,alpine range4 ,of itself it savours no more of the picturesque than do the immediate surroundings4 ,one can well understand that vegetation round about has grown scant merely because of the dearth of fructifying soil4 ,the valleys and the ravines flourish1 but the enfolding walls of rock are bare and sterile4 ,this is the somewhat abbreviated description of the pagi garnered from an ancient source1 and is1 in the main1 true enough to-day4 ,not many casual travellers ever get to this mountain city of the ,alps2 they are mostly rushed through to ,italy1 and do not stop short of the frontier station of ,modane1 some thirty odd kilometres onward2 from which point onward only do they know the lie of the land between ,paris and ,piedmont4 ,st4 ,jean de ,maurienne is to-day1 though a suffragan of ,chambry1 a bishopric in the old ecclesiastical province of ,tarentaise4 ,the first archbishop--as the dignity was then--was ,st4 ,jacques1 in the fifth century4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,jean is of a peculiar architectural style1 locally known as ,chartreusian4 ,it is by no means beautiful1 but it is not unpleasing4 ,it dates1 as to the epoch of its distinctive style1 from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries1 though it has been so fully restored in our day that it may as well be considered as a rebuilt structure1 in spite of the consistent devotion to the original plan4 ,the chief features of note are to be seen in its interior1 and1 while they are perhaps not of extraordinary value or beauty1 in any single instance1 they form1 as a whole1 a highly interesting disposition of devout symbols4 ,immediately within the portico1 by which one enters from the west1 is a plaster model of the tomb of ,count ,humbert1 the head of the house of ,savoie4 ,in the nave is an altar and mausoleum in marble1 gold1 and mosaic1 erected by the ,carthusians to ,st4 ,ayrald1 a former bishop of the diocese and a member of their order4 ,in the left aisle of the nave is a tomb to ,oger de ,conflans1 and another to two former bishops4 ,through the sacristy1 which is behind the chapel of the ,sacred ,heart1 is the entrance to the cloister4 ,this cloister1 while not of ranking greatness or beauty1 is carried out1 in the most part1 in the true pointed style of its era 7#adeb71 and is1 on the whole1 the most charming attribute of the cathedral4 ,the choir has a series of carved stalls in wood1 which are unusually acceptable4 ,in the choir1 also1 is a ciborium1 in alabaster1 with a reliquaire which is said to contain three fingers of ,john the ,baptist1 brought to ,savoie in the sixth century by ,ste4 ,thcle4 ,the crypt1 beneath the choir1 is1 as is most frequently the case1 the remains of a still earlier church1 which occupied the same site1 but of which there is little record extant4 ,,xxii ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,st4 ,,claude ,st4 ,claude is charmingly situated in a romantic valley of the ,jura4 ,the sound of mill-wheels and the sight of factory chimneys mingle inextricably with the roaring of mountain torrents and the solitude of the pine forest4 ,the majority of the inhabitants of these valleys lead a simple and pastoral life1 with cheese-making apparently the predominant industry4 ,manufacturing of all kinds is carried on1 in a small way1 in nearly every hamlet--in tiny cottage ateliers--wood-carving1 gem-polishing1 spectacle and clock-making1 besides turnery and wood-working of all sorts4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,pierre de ,,st4 ,,claude ,st4 ,claude1 with its ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre1 is the centre of all these activities2 which must suggest to all publicists of time-worn and ennuied lands a deal of possibilities in the further application of such industrial energies as lie close at hand4 ,in #aghi1 when ,arthur ,young1 in his third journey through ,france1 passed through ,st4 ,claude1 the count-bishop of the diocese1 the sole inheritor of its wealthy abbey foundation and all its seigneurial dependencies1 had only just enfranchised his forty thousand serfs4 ,voltaire1 the atheist1 pleaded in vain the cause of this ,christian prelate1 and for him to be allowed to sustain his right to bond-men2 but opposition was too great1 and they became free to enjoy property rights1 could they but once acquire them4 ,previously1 if childless1 they had no power to bequeath their property2 it reverted simply to the seigneur by custom of tradition4 ,in the fifth century1 ,st4 ,claude was the site of a powerful abbey4 ,it did not become an episcopal see1 however1 until #agdb1 when its first bishop was ,joseph de ,madet4 ,at the ,revolution the see was suppressed1 but it rose again1 phoenix-like1 in #ahba1 and endures to-day as a suffragan of ,lyon et ,vienne4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre is a fourteenth-century edifice1 with later work 7seventeenth century7 equally to be remarked4 ,as a work of restoration it appears poorly done1 but the entire structure is of more than ordinary interest2 nevertheless it still remains an uncompleted work4 ,the church is of exceedingly moderate dimensions1 and is in no sense a great achievement4 ,its length cannot be much over two hundred feet1 and its width and height are approximately equal 7#he feet71 producing a symmetry which is too conventional to be really lovable4 ,still1 considering its environment and the association as the old abbey church1 to which ,st4 ,claude1 the bishop of ,besanon1 retired in the twelfth century1 it has far more to offer in the way of a pleasing prospect than many cathedrals of greater architectural worth4 ,there are1 in its interior1 a series of fine choir-stalls in wood1 of the fifteenth century--comparable only with those at ,rodez and ,albi for their excellence and the luxuriance of their carving--a sculptured ,renaissance retable depicting the life of ,st4 ,pierre1 and a modern high-altar4 ,this last accessory is not as worthy an art work as the two others4 ,illustration3 ,notre ,dame de ,bourg ,,xxiii ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,bourg ,the chief ecclesiastical attraction of ,bourg-en-,bresse is not its one-time cathedral of ,notre ,dame1 which is but a poor ,renaissance affair of the fifteenth to seventeenth centuries4 ,the famous glise de ,brou1 which ,matthew ,arnold described so justly and fully in his verses1 is a florid ,gothic monument which ranks among the most celebrated in ,france4 ,it is situated something less than a mile from the town1 and is a show-piece which will not be neglected4 ,its charms are too many and varied to be even suggested here4 ,there are a series of sculptured figures of the prophets and apostles1 from a fifteenth or sixteenth-century atelier1 that may or may not have given the latter-day ,sargent his suggestion for his celebrated frieze of the prophets4 ,they are wonderfully like1 at all events1 and the observation is advisedly included here1 though it is not intended as a sneer at ,sargent's masterwork4 ,this wonderful sixteenth-century glise de ,brou1 in a highly decorated ,gothic style1 its monuments1 altars1 and admirable glass1 is not elsewhere equalled1 as to elaborateness1 in any church of its size or rank4 ,notre ,dame de ,bourg--the cathedral--though manifestly a ,renaissance structure1 has not a little of the ,gothic spirit in its interior arrangements and details4 ,it is as if a ,renaissance shell--and not a handsome one--were enclosing a ,gothic treasure4 ,there is the unusual polygonal apside1 which dates from the fifteenth or sixteenth century1 and is the most curious part of the entire edifice4 ,the octagonal tower of the west has1 in its higher story1 been replaced by an ugly dome-shaped excrescence surmounted by an enormous gilded cross which is by no means beautiful4 ,the west faade in general1 in whose portal are shown some evidences of the ,gothic spirit1 which at the time of its erection had not wholly died1 is uninteresting and all out of proportion to a church of its rank4 ,the interior effect somewhat redeems the unpromising exterior4 ,there is a magnificent marble high-altar1 jewel-wrought and of much splendour4 ,the two chapels have modern glass4 ,a fine head of ,christ1 carved in ivory1 is to be seen in the sacristy4 ,previous to #aghi it was kept in the great council-chamber of the tats de la ,bresse4 ,in the sacristy also there are two pictures1 of the ,german school of the sixteenth century4 ,there are sixty-eight stalls1 of the sixteenth century1 carved in wood4 ,curiously enough1 these stalls--of most excellent workmanship--are not placed within the regulation confines of the choir1 but are ranged in two rows along the wall of the apside4 ,,xxiv ,,gland,,ve1 ,,senez1 ,,riez1 ,,sisteron ,the diocese of ,digne now includes four ci-devant bishoprics1 each of which was suppressed at the ,revolution4 ,the ruins of the ancient bishopric of ,glandve are to-day replaced by the small town of ,d',entrevaux1 whose former cathedral of ,st4 ,just has now disappeared4 ,the see of ,glandve had in all fifty-three bishops1 the first--,st4 ,fraterne--in the year #dei4 ,senez was composed of but thirty-two parishes4 ,it was1 however1 a very ancient foundation1 dating from #dde ,a4 ,d4 ,its cathedral was known as ,notre ,dame1 and its chapter was composed of five canons and three dignitaries4 ,at various times forty-three bishops occupied the episcopal throne at ,senez4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,sisteron ,the suppression likewise made way with the bishopric at ,riez1 a charming little city of ,provence4 ,the see was formerly composed of fifty-four parishes1 and its cathedral of ,notre ,dame had a chapter of eight canons and four dignitaries4 ,the first bishop was ,st4 ,prosper1 in the early part of the fifth century4 ,ultimately he was followed by seventy-four others4 ,two councils of the church were held at ,riez1 the first in #dci1 and the second in #abhe4 ,the diocese of ,sisteron was situated in the charming mountain town of the ,basses-,alps4 ,this brisk little fortress-city still offers to the traveller many of the attractions of yore1 though its former cathedral of ,notre ,dame no longer shelters a bishop's throne4 ,four dignitaries and eight canons performed the functions of the cathedral1 and served the fifty parishes allied with it4 ,the first bishop was ,chrysaphius1 in #deb1 and the last1 ,franois ,bovet1 in #aghi4 ,this prelate in #ahja refused the oath of allegiance demanded by the new rgime1 and forthwith resigned1 when the see was combined with that of ,digne4 ,the ancient cathedral of ,notre ,dame de ,sisteron of the eleventh and twelfth centuries is now ranked as a ,monument ,historique4 ,it dates1 in the main1 from the twelfth century1 and is of itself no more remarkable than many of the other minor cathedrals of this part of ,france4 ,its chief distinction lies in its grand retable1 which is decorated with a series of superb paintings by ,mignard4 ,the city lies picturesquely posed at the foot of a commanding height1 which in turn is surmounted by the ancient citadel4 ,across the defile1 which is deeply cut by the river ,durance1 rises the precipitous ,mont de la ,baume1 which1 with the not very grand or splendid buildings of the city itself1 composes the ensemble at once into a distinctively old-world spot1 which the march of progress has done little to temper4 ,it looks not a little like a piece of stage-scenery1 to be sure1 but it is a wonderful grouping of the works of nature and of the hand of man1 and one which it will be difficult to duplicate elsewhere in ,france2 in fact1 it will not be possible to do so4 ,illustration ,,xxv ,,st4 ,,jerome ,,de ,,digne ,the diocese of ,digne1 among all of its neighbours1 has survived until to-day4 ,it is a suffragan of ,aix1 ,arles1 and ,embrun1 and has jurisdiction over the whole of the ,department of the ,basses-,alps4 ,st4 ,domnin became its first bishop1 in the fourth century4 ,the ancient ,romanesque cathedral of ,notre ,dame--from which the bishop's seat has been removed to the more modern ,st4 ,jerome--is an unusually interesting old church1 though bare and unpretentious to-day4 ,it dates from the twelfth century1 and has all the distinguishing marks of its era4 ,its nave is1 moreover1 a really fine work1 and worthy to rank with many more important4 ,there are1 in this nave1 some traces of a series of curious wall-paintings dating from the fourteenth or fifteenth centuries4 ,st4 ,jerome de ,digne--called la cathdrale fort magnifiante--is a restored ,gothic church of the early ages of the style1 though it has been placed--in some doubt--as of the fifteenth century4 ,the apse is semicircular1 without chapels1 and the general effect of the interior as a whole is curiously marred by reason of the lack of transepts1 clerestory1 and triforium4 ,this notable poverty of feature is perhaps made up for by the amplified side aisles1 which are doubled throughout4 ,the western portal1 which is of an acceptable modern ,gothic1 is of more than usual interest as to its decorations4 ,in the tympanum of the arch is a figure of the ,saviour giving his blessing1 with the emblems of the ,evangelists below1 and an angel and the pelican--the emblem of the sacrament--above4 ,beneath the figure of the ,saviour is another of ,st4 ,jerome1 the patron1 to whom the cathedral is dedicated4 ,a square1 ungainly tower holds a noisy peal of bells1 which1 though a great source of local pride1 can but prove annoying to the stranger1 with their importunate and unseemly clanging4 ,the chief accessories1 in the interior1 are an elaborate organ-case1--of the usual doubtful taste1--a marble statue of ,st4 ,vincent de ,paul 7by ,daumas1 #ahfi71 and a sixteenth or seventeenth-century statue of a former bishop of the diocese4 ,digne has perhaps a more than ordinary share of picturesque environment1 seated1 as it is1 luxuriously in the lap of the surrounding mountains4 ,st4 ,domnin1 the first bishop1 came1 it is said1 from ,africa at a period variously stated as from #ccj to #cdj ,a4 ,d41 but1 at any rate1 well on into the fourth century4 ,his enthronement appears to have been undertaken amid much heretical strife1 and was only accomplished with the aid of ,st4 ,marcellin1 the archbishop of ,embrun1 of which the diocese of ,digne was formerly a suffragan4 ,the good ,st4 ,domnin does not appear to have made great headway in putting out the flame of heresy1 though his zeal was great and his miracles many4 ,he departed this world before the dawn of the fifth century1 and his memory is still brought to the minds of the communicants of the cathedral each year on the #acth of ,february--his fte-day--by the display of a reliquary1 which is said to contain--somewhat unemphatically--the remains of his head and arm4 ,wonderful cures are supposed to result to the infirm who view this relique in a proper spirit of veneration1 and devils are warranted to be cast out from the true believer under like conditions4 ,a council of the ,church was held at ,digne in #adad4 ,,xxvi ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,die ,the ,augusta ,dia of the ,romans is to-day a diminutive ,french town lying at the foot of the colline whose apex was formerly surmounted by the more ancient city4 ,it takes but little ecclesiastical rank1 and is not even a tourist resort of renown4 ,it is1 however1 a shrine which encloses and surrounds many monuments of the days which are gone1 and is possessed of an ancient ,arc de ,triomphe which would attract many of the genus touriste1 did they but realize its charm4 ,the cathedral1 dedicated to the ,virgin1 sheltered a bishop's throne from the foundation of the bishopric until #abhe1 when a hiatus ensued--apparently from some inexplicable reason--until #afgb1 when its episcopal dignity again came into being4 ,finally1 in #ahja1 the diocese came to an end4 ,st4 ,mars was the first bishop1 the see having been founded in the third century4 ,the porch of this cathedral is truly remarkable1 having been taken from a former temple to ,cybele1 and dates at least from some years previous to the eleventh century4 ,another portal of more than usual remark--known as the porte rouge--is fashioned from contemporary fragments of the same period4 ,while to all intents and purposes the cathedral is an early architectural work1 its rank to-day is that of a restored or rebuilt church of the seventeenth century4 ,the nave is one of the largest in this part of ,france1 being #bgj feet in length and seventy-six feet in width4 ,it has no side aisles and is entirely without pillars to break its area1 which of course appears more vast than it really is4 ,what indications there are which would place the cathedral among any of the distinct architectural styles are of the pointed variety4 ,aside from its magnificent dimensions1 there are no interior features of remark except a gorgeous ,renaissance pulpit and a curious cne4 ,,xxvii ,,notre ,,dame ,,et ,,st4 ,,castor ,d',,apt ,apt is doubtfully claimed to have been a bishopric under ,st4 ,auspice in the first century1 but the ancient ,apta ,julia of ,roman times is to-day little more than an interesting by-point1 with but little importance in either ecclesiological or art matters4 ,its cathedral--as a cathedral--ceased to exist in #agij4 ,it is of the species which would be generally accepted as ,gothic1 so far as exterior appearances go1 but it is bare and poor in ornament and design1 and as a type ranks far down the scale4 ,in its interior arrangements the style becomes more florid1 and takes on something of the elaborateness which in a more thoroughly worthy structure would be unremarked4 ,the chief decoration lies in the rather elaborate jub1 or choir-screen1 which stands out far more prominently than any other interior feature1 and is without doubt an admirable example of this not too frequent attribute of a ,french church4 ,throughout there are indications of the work of many epochs and eras1 from the crypt of the primitive church to the ,chapelle de ,ste4 ,anne1 constructed by ,mansard in the seventeenth century4 ,this chapel contains some creditable paintings by ,parrocel1 and yet others1 in a still better style1 by ,mignard4 ,the crypt1 which formed a part of the earlier church on this site1 is the truly picturesque feature of the cathedral at ,apt1 and1 like many of its kind1 is now given over to a series of subterranean chapels4 ,among the other attributes of the interior are a tomb of the ,ducs de ,sabron1 a marble altar of the twelfth century1 a precious enamel of the same era1 and a ,gallo-,romain sarcophagus of the fifth century4 ,as to the exterior effect and ensemble1 the cathedral is hardly to be remarked1 either in size or splendour1 from the usual parish church of the average small town of ,france4 ,it does not rise to a very ambitious height1 neither does its ground-plan suggest magnificent proportions4 ,altogether it proves to be a cathedral which is neither very interesting nor even picturesque4 ,the little city itself is charmingly situated on the banks of the ,coulon1 a small stream which runs gaily on its way to the ,durance1 at times torrential1 which in turn goes to swell the flood of the ,rhne below ,avignon4 ,the former bishop's palace is now the prfecture and ,mairie4 ,illustration ,,xxviii ,,notre ,,dame ,d',,embrun ,embrun1 not unlike its neighbouring towns in the valley of the ,durance1 is possessed of the same picturesque environment as ,sisteron and ,digne4 ,it is perched high on that species of eminence known in ,france as a colline1 though in this case it does not rise to a very magnificent height2 what there is of it1 however1 serves to accentuate the picturesque element as nothing else would4 ,the episcopal dignity of the town is only partial2 it shares the distinction with ,aix and ,arles4 ,the glise ,notre ,dame1 though it is still locally known as la cathdrale1 is of the twelfth century1 and has a wonderful old ,romanesque north porch and peristyle set about with gracefully proportioned columns1 the two foremost of which are supported upon the backs of a pair of weird-looking animals1 which are supposed to represent the twelfth-century stone-cutter's conception of the king of beasts4 ,in the tympanum of this portal are sculptured figures of ,christ and the ,evangelists1 in no wise of remarkable quality1 but indicating1 with the other decorative features1 a certain luxuriance which is not otherwise suggested in the edifice4 ,the ,romanesque tower which belongs to the church proper is1 as to its foundations1 of very early date1 though1 as a finished detail1 it is merely a rebuilt fourteenth-century structure carried out on the old lines4 ,there is another tower1 commonly called la tour brune1 which adjoins the ancient bishop's palace1 and dates from at least a century before the main body of the church4 ,the entire edifice presents an architectural mlange that makes it impossible to classify it as of any one specific style1 but the opinion is hazarded that it is all the more interesting a shrine because of this incongruity4 ,the choir1 too1 indicates that it has been built up from fragments of a former fabric1 while the west front is equally unconvincing1 and has the added curious effect of presenting a variegated faade1 which is1 to say the least and the most1 very unusual4 ,a similar suggestion is found occasionally in the ,auvergne1 but the interweaving of party-coloured stone1 in an attempt to produce variety1 has too often not been taken advantage of4 ,in this case it is not so very pleasing1 but one has a sort of sympathetic regard for it nevertheless4 ,in the interior there are no constructive features of remark2 indeed there is little embellishment of any sort4 ,there is an eighteenth-century altar1 in precious marbles1 worked after the old manner1 and in the sacristy some altar-fittings of elaborately worked ,cordovan leather1 a triptych which is dated #aeah1 some brilliant glass of the fifteenth century1 and in the nave a ,renaissance organ-case which encloses an organ of the early sixteenth century4 ,near by is ,mont ,st4 ,guillaume 7#b1fhf metres71 on whose heights is a sanctuaire frequented by pilgrims from round about the whole valley of the ,durance4 ,from ,quentin ,durward1 one recalls the great devotion of the ,dauphin of ,france--,louis ,,xi4--for the statue of ,notre ,dame d',embrun4 ,,xxix ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,l',,assomption ,,de ,,gap ,gap is an ancient and most attractive little city of the ,maritime ,alps1 of something less than ten thousand inhabitants4 ,its cathedral is also the parish church1 which suggests that the city is not especially devout4 ,the chapter of the cathedral consists of eight canons1 who1 considering that the spiritual life of the entire ,department of the ,hautes-,alpes--some hundred and fifty thousand souls--is in their care1 must have a very busy time of it4 ,st4 ,demetrius1 the friend of ,st4 ,john the ,evangelist1 has always been regarded as the first apostle and bishop of the diocese4 ,he came from ,rome to ,gaul in the reign of ,claudian1 and began his work of evangelization in the environs of ,vienne under ,st4 ,crescent1 the disciple of ,st4 ,paul4 ,from ,vienne ,demetrius came immediately to ,gap and established the diocese here4 ,numerous conversions were made and the ,church quickly gained adherents1 but persecution was yet rife1 as likewise was superstition1 and the priests were denounced to the governors of the province1 who forthwith put them to death in true barbaric fashion4 ,amid these inflictions1 however1 and the later ,protestant persecutions in ,dauphin1 the diocese grew to great importance1 and endures to-day as a suffragan of ,aix1 ,arles1 and ,embrun4 ,the glise de ,gap has even yet the good fortune to possess personal reliques of her first bishop1 and accordingly displays them with due pride and ceremony on his jour de fte1 the #bfth ,october of each year4 ,says a willing but unknowing ,french writer3 ,had ,demetrius--who came to ,gap in the first century--any immediate successors8 ,that we cannot say4 ,it is a period of three hundred years which separates his tenure from that of ,st4 ,constantine1 the next prelate of whom the records tell4 ,three other dioceses of the former ecclesiastical province have been suppressed1 and ,gap alone has lived to exert its tiny sphere of influence upon the religious life of the present day4 ,the history of ,gap has been largely identified with the ,protestant cause in ,dauphin4 ,there is1 in the ,prefecture1 a monument to the ,due de ,lesdiguires--,franoise de ,bonne--who1 from the leadership of the ,protestants went over to the ,roman faith1 in consideration of his being given the rank of ,conntable de ,france4 ,why the mere fact of his apostasy should have been a sufficient and good reason for this aggrandizement1 it is difficult to realize in this late day2 though we know of a former telegraph messenger who became a count4 ,another reformer1 ,guillaume ,farel1 was born and lived at ,gap4 ,he preached his first sermon1 says ,history1 at the mill of ,bure1 and his followers soon drove the ,catholics from the place2 when he himself took possession of the pulpits of the town4 ,from all this dissension from the ,roman faith--though it came comparatively late in point of time--rose the apparent apathy for church-building which resulted in the rather inferior cathedral at ,gap4 ,no account of this unimportant church edifice could possibly be justly coloured with enthusiasm4 ,it is not wholly a mean structure1 but it is unworthy of the great activities of the religious devotion of the past1 and has no pretence to architectural worth1 nor has it any of the splendid appointments which are usually associated with the seat of a bishop's throne4 ,notre ,dame de l',assomption is a modern edifice in the style ,romano-,gothique1 and its construction1 though elaborate both inside and out1 is quite unappealing4 ,this is the more to be marvelled at1 in that the history of the diocese is so full of incident2 so far1 in fact1 in advance of what the tangible evidences would indicate4 ,,xxx ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,vence ,vence1--the ancient ,roman city of ,ventium1--with five other dioceses of the ecclesiastical province of ,embrun1 was suppressed--as the seat of a bishop--in #agij4 ,it had been a suffragan bishopric of ,embrun since its foundation by ,eusbe in the fourth century4 ,the ancient cathedral of ,notre ,dame is supposed to show traces of workmanship of the sixth1 tenth1 twelfth1 and fifteenth centuries1 but1 excepting that of the latter era1 it will be difficult for the casual observer to place the distinctions of style4 ,the whole ensemble is of grim appearance2 so much so that one need not hesitate to place it well down in the ranks of the church-builder's art1 and1 either from poverty of purse or purpose1 it is quite undistinguished4 ,in its interior there are a few features of unusual remark3 an ancient sarcophagus1 called that of ,st4 ,vran2 a retable of the sixteenth century2 some rather good paintings1 by artists apparently unknown2 and a series of fifty-one fifteenth-century choir-stalls of quite notable excellence1 and worth more as an expression of artistic feeling than all the other features combined4 ,the only distinction as to constructive features is the fact that there are no transepts1 and that the aisles which surround the nave are doubled4 ,,xxxi ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,sion ,the small city of ,sion1 the capital of the ,valais1 looks not unlike the pictures one sees in sixteenth-century historical works4 ,it is brief1 confined1 and unobtrusive4 ,it was so in feudal times1 when most of its architecture partook of the nature of a stronghold4 ,it is so to-day1 because little of modernity has come into its life4 ,the city1 town1 or finally village--for it is hardly more1 from its great lack of activity--lies at the foot of three lofty1 isolated eminences4 ,a great conflagration came to ,sion early in the nineteenth century which resulted in a new lay-out of the town and one really fine modern thoroughfare1 though be it still remarked its life is yet medival4 ,upon one of these overshadowing heights is the present episcopal residence1 and on another the remains of a fortress--formerly the stronghold of the bishops of ,sion4 ,on this height of ,la ,valre stands the very ancient church of ,ste4 ,catherine 7with a tenth or eleventh-century choir71 occupying1 it is said1 the site of a ,roman temple4 ,in the mid-nineteenth century the ,jesuits gained a considerable influence here and congregated in large numbers4 ,the city was the ancient ,sedanum1 and in olden time the bishop bore also the title of ,prince of the ,holy ,empire4 ,the power of this prelate was practically unlimited1 and ordinances of state were1 as late as the beginning of the nineteenth century1 made in his name1 and his arms formed the embellishments of the public buildings and boundary posts4 ,rudolf ,,iii41 king of ,burgundy1 from the year #ajjj1 made them counts of ,valais4 ,st4 ,thodule was the first bishop of ,sion1--in the fourth century1--and is the patron of the diocese4 ,in #ajgj the bishop of ,sion came to ,england as papal legate to consecrate ,walkelin to the see of ,winchester4 ,in #aeaf ,bishop ,schinner came to ,england to procure financial aid from ,henry ,,viii4 to carry on war against ,france4 ,the cathedral in the lower town is a fifteenth-century work which ought--had the manner of church-building here in this isolated region kept pace with the outside world--to be ,renaissance in style4 ,in reality1 it suggests nothing but the earliest of ,gothic1 and1 in parts1 even ,romanesque2 therefore it is to be remarked1 if not admired4 ,near by is the modern episcopal residence4 ,the records tell of the extraordinary beauty and value of the trsor1 which formerly belonged to the cathedral3 an ivory pyx1 a reliquary1 and a magnificent manuscript of the ,gospels--given by ,charles the ,great to ,st4 ,maurice1 and acquired by the town in the fourteenth century4 ,this must at some former time have been dispersed1 as no trace of it is known to-day4 ,sion was formerly a suffragan bishopric of ,tarantaise1 which in turn has become to-day a suffragan of ,chambry4 ,,xxxii ,,st4 ,,paul ,,trois ,,ch,,teaux ,st4 ,paul ,trois ,chteaux is a very old settlement4 ,as a bishopric it was known anciently as ,tricastin1 and dates from the second century4 ,st4 ,restuit was its first bishop4 ,it was formerly the seat of the ancient ,roman colony of ,augusta ,tricastinorum4 ,tradition is responsible for the assertion that ,st4 ,paul was the first prelate of the diocese1 and being born blind was cured by ,jesus ,christ4 ,this holy man1 after having recovered his sight1 took the name of ,restuit1 under which name he is still locally honoured4 ,one of his successors erected to his honour1 in the fourth century1 a chapel and an altar4 ,these1 of course have disappeared--hence we have only tradition1 which1 to say the least1 and the most1 is1 in this case1 quite legendary4 ,the city was devastated in the fifth century by the ,vandals2 in #agcf by the ,saracens2 and taken and retaken by the ,protestants and ,catholics in the fourteenth century4 ,as a bishopric the ,tricastin city comprised but thirty-six parishes1 and in the rearrangement attendant upon the ,revolution was suppressed altogether4 ,ninety-five bishops in all had their seats here up to the time of suppression4 ,certainly the religious history of this tiny city has been most vigorous and active4 ,the city conserves to-day somewhat of its ancient birthright1 and is a picturesque and romantic spot1 in which all may tarry awhile amid its tortuous streets and the splendid remains of its old-time builders4 ,few do drop off1 even1 in their annual rush southward1 in season or out1 and the result is that ,st4 ,paul ,trois ,chteaux is to-day a delightfully old world spot in the most significant meaning of the phrase4 ,of course the habitant still refers to the seat of the former bishop's throne as a cathedral1 and it is with pardonable pride that he does so4 ,this precious old eleventh and twelfth-century church is possessed of as endearing and interesting an aspect as the city itself4 ,it has been restored in recent times1 but is much hidden by the houses which hover around its walls4 ,it has a unique portal which opens between two jutting columns whose shafts uphold nothing--not even capitals4 ,in fact1 the general plan of the cathedral follows that of the ,latin cross1 though in this instance it is of rather robust proportions4 ,the transepts1 which are neither deep nor wide1 are terminated with an apse1 as is also the choir1 which depends1 for its embellishments1 upon the decorative effect produced by eight ,corinthian columns4 ,the interior1 the nave in particular1 is of unusual height for a not very grand structure2 perhaps eighty feet4 ,its length is hardly greater4 ,the orders of columns rise vaultwards1 surmounted by a simple entablature4 ,these are perhaps not of the species that has come to be regarded as good form in ,christian architecture1 but which1 for many reasons1 have found their way into church-building1 both before and since the rise of ,gothic4 ,under a triforium1 in blind1 is a sculptured drapery2 again a feature more pagan than ,christian1 but which is here more pleasing than when usually found in such a false relation4 ,both these details are in imitation of the antique1 and1 since they date from long before the simulating of pseudo-classical details became a mere fad1 are the more interesting and valuable as an art-expression of the time4 ,for the rest1 this one-time cathedral is uncommon and most singular in all its parts1 though nowhere of very great inherent beauty4 ,an ancient gateway bears a statue of the ,virgin4 ,it was the gift of a former ,archbishop of ,paris to the town of his birth4 ,an ancient ,dominican convent is now the cole ,normale des ,petits ,frres de ,marie4 ,within its wall have recently been discovered a valuable mosaic work1 and a table or altar of carved stone4 ,in the suburbs of the town have also recently been found much beautiful ,roman work of a decorative nature2 a geometric parchment in mosaic2 a superb lamp1 in worked bronze2 a head of ,mercury 7now in the ,louvre71 and much treasure which would make any antiquarian literally leap for joy1 were he but present when they were unearthed4 ,altogether the brief rsum should make for a desire to know more of this ancient city whose name1 even1 is scarcely known to those much-travelled persons who cross and recross ,france in pursuit of the pleasures of convention alone4 ,,part ,,iv ,the ,mediterranean ,coast ,i ,,introductory ,the ,mediterranean shore of the south of ,france1 that delectable land which fringes the great tideless sea1 bespeaks the very spirit of history and romance1 of ,christian fervour1 and of profane riot and bloodshed4 ,its ancient provinces1--,lower ,languedoc1 the ,narbonensis of ,gaul2 ,provence1 the most glorious and golden of all that went to make up modern ,france1--the medival capital of ,king ,ren1 ,aix-en-,provence1 and the commercial capital of the ,phoceans 7#eei ,b4 ,c471 ,massilia1 all combine in a wealth of storied lore which is inexhaustible4 ,the tide of latter-day travel descends the ,rhne to ,marseilles1 turns eastward to the conventional pleasures of the ,riviera1 and utterly neglects the charms of ,la ,crau1 ,st4 ,rmy1 ,martiques1 and ,aigues-,mortes2 or the more progressive1 though still ancient cathedral cities of ,montpellier1 ,bziers1 ,narbonne1 or ,perpignan4 ,there is no question but that the ,french ,riviera is1 in winter1 a land of sunshiny days1 cool nights1 and the more or the less rapid life of fashion4 ,which of these attractions induces the droves of personally-1 semi-1 and non-conducted tourists to journey thither1 with the first advent of northern rigour1 is doubtful2 it is probably1 however1 a combination of all three4 ,it is a beautiful strip of coast-line from ,marseilles to ,mentone1 and its towns and cities are most attractively placed4 ,but a sojourn there in the season1 amid the luxury of a palace-hotel1 or the bareness of a mediocre pension1 is a thing to be dreaded4 ,seekers after health and pleasure are supposed to be wonderfully recouped by the process2 but this is more than doubtful4 ,vice is rarely attractive1 but it is always made attractive1 and weak tea and pain de mnage in a ,riviera boarding-house are no more stimulating than elsewhere2 hence the many virtues of this sunlit land are greatly nullified4 ,a peculiarity of the ,riviera is that each of the prominent watering-places possesses a tutelary deity of our own4 7,modest this67 ,thus1 for instance1 no visitor to ,cannes is allowed to forget the name of ,lord ,brougham1 while the interest at ,beaulieu and ,cap ,martin centres around another great ,english statesman1 ,lord ,salisbury4 ,cap d',antibes has 7or had7 for its genius loci ,grant ,allen1 and ,valescure is chiefly concerned with ,mrs4 ,humphry ,ward and ,mrs4 ,oliphant4 ,this quotation is1 perhaps1 enough to make the writer's point here3 ,why go to the ,riviera to think of ,lord ,brougham1 long since dead and gone1 any more than to ,monte ,carlo to be reminded of the unfortunate end which happened to the great system for breaking the bank of ,lord----1 a nineteenth-century nobleman of notoriety--if not of fame8 ,the charm of situation of the ,riviera is great1 and the interest awakened by its many reminders of the historied past is equally so2 but1 with regard to its architectural remains1 the most ready and willing temperament will be doomed to disappointment4 ,the cathedral cities of the ,riviera are not of irresistible attraction as shrines of the ,christian faith2 but they have much else1 either within their confines or in the immediate neighbourhood1 which will go far to make up for the deficiency of their religious monuments4 ,it is not that the architectural remains of churches of another day1 and secular establishments1 are wholly wanting4 ,far from it2 ,frjus1 ,toulon1 ,grasse1 and ,cannes are possessed of delightful old churches1 though they are not of ranking greatness1 or splendour4 ,still the fact remains that1 of themselves1 the natural beauties of the region and the heritage of a historic past are not enough to attract the throngs which1 for any one of a dozen suspected reasons1 annually1 from ,november to ,march1 flock hither to this range of towns1 which extends from ,hyres and ,st4 ,raphael1 on the west1 to ,bordighera and ,ospadeletti1 just over the ,italian border1 on the east4 ,it is truly historic ground1 this2 perhaps more visibly impressed upon the mind and imagination than any other in the world1 if we except the ,holy ,land itself4 ,along this boundary were the two main routes1 by land and by water1 through which the warlike and civil institutions of ,rome first made their way into ,gaul1 conquered it1 and impressed thereon indelibly for five hundred years the mighty power which their ambition urged forward4 ,at ,cimiez1 a suburb of ,nice1 they have left a well-preserved amphitheatre2 at ,antibes the remains of ,roman towers2 ,villefranche--the port of ,nice--was formerly a ,roman port2 ,frjus1 the former ,forum ,julii1 has remains of its ancient harbour1 its city walls1 an amphitheatre1 a gateway1 and an arch1 and1 at some distance from the city1 the chief of all neighbouring remains1 an aqueduct1 the crumbling stones of which can be traced for many miles4 ,above the promontory of ,monaco1 where the ,alps abruptly meet the sea1 stands the tiny village of ,la ,turbie1 some nineteen hundred feet above the waters of the sparklingly brilliant ,mediterranean4 ,here stands that venerable ruined tower1 the great ,trophoea ,augusti of the ,romans1 now stayed and strutted by modern masonry4 ,it commemorates the ,alpine victories of the first of the emperors1 and overlooks both ,italy and ,france4 ,stripped to-day of the decorations and sculptures which once graced its walls1 it stands as a reminder of the first splendid introduction of the luxuriant architecture of ,rome into the precincts of the ,western ,empire4 ,here it may be recalled that sketching1 even from the hilltops1 is a somewhat risky proceeding for the artist4 ,the surrounding eminences--as would be likely so near the ,italian border--are frequently capped with a fortress1 and occupied by a small garrison1 the sole duty of whose commandant appears to be heading off1 or worse1 those who would make a picturesque note of the environment of this ci-devant ,roman stronghold4 ,the process of transcribing literary notes is looked upon with equal suspicion1 or even greater disapproval1 in that--in ,english--they are not so readily translated as is even a bad drawing4 ,so the admonition is here advisedly given for whom it may concern4 ,from the ,rhne eastward1 ,marseilles alone has any church of a class worthy to rank with those truly great4 ,its present cathedral of ,ste4 ,marie-,majeure assuredly takes1 both as to its plan and the magnitude on which it has been carried out1 the rank of a masterwork of architecture4 ,it is a modern cathedral1 but it is a grand and imposing basilica1 after the ,byzantine manner4 ,westward1 if we except ,bziers1 where there is a commanding cathedral2 ,narbonne1 where the true sky-pointing ,gothic is to be found2 and ,perpignan1 where there is a very ancient though peculiarly disposed cathedral1 there are no really grand cathedral churches of this or any other day4 ,on the whole1 however1 all these cities are possessed of a subtle charm of manner and environment which tell a story peculiarly their own4 ,foremost among these cities of ,southern ,gaul1 which have perhaps the greatest and most appealing interest for the traveller1 are ,carcassonne and ,aigues-,mortes4 ,each of these remarkable reminders of days that are gone is unlike anything elsewhere4 ,their very decay and practical desertion make for an interest which would otherwise be unattainable4 ,aigues-,mortes has no cathedral1 nor ever had2 but ,carcassonne has a very beautiful1 though small1 example in ,st4 ,nazaire1 treated elsewhere in this book4 ,both ,aigues-,mortes and ,carcassonne are the last1 and the greatest1 examples of the famous walled and fortified cities of the ,middle ,ages4 ,aigues-,mortes itself is a mere dead thing of the marshes1 which once held ten thousand souls1 and witnessed all the pomp and glitter which attended upon the embarking of ,louis ,,ix4 on his chivalrous1 but ill-starred1 ventures to the ,african coasts4 ,here was a city built by the whim of a king--the last of the ,royal ,crusaders4 ,to-day it is a coffin-like city with perhaps a couple of thousand pallid1 shaking mortals1 striving against the marsh-fever1 among the ruined houses1 and within the mouldering walls of an ancient ,gothic burgh4 ,illustration3 ,the ,ramparts of ,aigues-,mortes ,illustration3 ,st4 ,sauveur d',aix ,,ii ,,st4 ,,sauveur ,d',,aix ,aix1 the former capital of ,provence1 one of the most famous ancient provinces1 the early seat of wealth and civilization1 and the native land of the poetry and romance of medivalism1 was the still more ancient ,aqu ,sexti of the ,romans--so named for the hot springs of the neighbourhood4 ,it was their oldest colony in ,gaul1 and was founded by ,sextius ,calvinus in ,b4 ,c4 #abc4 ,in ,king ,ren's time1--le bon roi died at ,aix in #adhj1--;,aix-en-,provence was more famous than ever as a gay capital1 where mirth and song and much good wine reigned1 if not to a degenerate extent1 at least to the full expression of liberty4 ,in #adha1 just subsequent to ,ren's death1 the province was annexed to the ,crown1 and fifty years later fell into the hands of ,charles ,v41 who was proclaimed ,king of ,arles and ,provence4 ,this monarch's reign here was of short duration1 and he evacuated the city after two months' tenure4 ,during all this time the church of ,aix1 from the foundation of the archbishopric by ,st4 ,maxine in the first century 7as stated rather doubtfully in the ,gallia ,christiania71 ever advanced hand in hand with the medival gaiety and splendour that is now past4 ,who ever goes to ,aix now8 ,not many ,riviera tourists even1 and not many1 unless they are on a mission bent1 will cross the ,rhne and the ,durance when such appealingly attractive cities as ,arles1 ,avignon1 and ,nmes lie on the direct pathway from north to south4 ,formerly the see was known as the ,province of ,aix4 ,to-day it is known as ,aix1 ,arles1 and ,embrun1 and covers the ,department of ,bouches-du-,rhne1 with the exception of ,marseilles1 which is a suffragan bishopric of itself4 ,the chief ecclesiastical monuments of ,aix are the cathedral of ,st4 ,sauveur1 with its most unusual baptistre2 the church of ,st4 ,jean-de-,malte of the fourteenth century2 and the comparatively modern early eighteenth-century church of ,la ,madeleine1 with a fine ,annunciation confidently attributed by local experts to ,albrecht ,drer4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,sauveur is1 in part1 an eleventh-century church4 ,the portions remaining of this era are not very extensive1 but they do exist1 and the choir1 which was added in the thirteenth century1 made the first approach to a completed structure4 ,in the next century the choir was still more elaborated1 and the tower and the southern aisle of the nave added4 ,this nave is1 therefore1 the original nave1 as the northern aisle was not added until well into the seventeenth century4 ,the west faade contains a wonderful1 though non-contemporary1 door and doorway in wood and stone of the early sixteenth century4 ,this doorway is in two bays1 divided by a pier1 on which is superimposed a statue of the ,virgin and ,child1 framed by a light garland of foliage and fruits4 ,above are twelve tiny statuettes of ,sibylles or the theological virtues placed in two rows4 ,the lower range of the archivolt is divided by pilasters bearing the symbols of the ,evangelists1 deeply cut arabesques of the ,genii1 and the four greater prophets--,isaiah1 ,jeremiah1 ,ezekiel1 and ,daniel4 ,taken together1 these late sculptures of the early sixteenth century form an unusually mixed lot2 but their workmanship and disposition are pleasing and of an excellence which in many carvings of an earlier date is often lacking4 ,the interior shows early pointed and simple round arches1 with pilasters and pediment which bear little relation to ,gothic1 and are yet not ,romanesque of the conventional variety4 ,these features are mainly not suggestive of the ,renaissance either1 though work of this style crops out1 as might be expected1 in the added north aisle of the nave4 ,the transepts1 too1 which are hardly to be remarked from the outside1--being much hemmed about by the surrounding buildings1--also indicate their ,renaissance origin4 ,the real embellishments of the interior are3 a triptych--,the ,burning ,bush1 with portraits of ,king ,ren1 ,queen ,jeanne de ,laval1 and others2 another of ,the ,annunciation2 a painting of ,st4 ,thomas1 by a sixteenth-century ,flemish artist2 and some sixteenth-century tapestries4 ,none of these features1 while acceptable enough as works of art1 compare in worth or novelty with the tiny baptistre1 which is claimed as of the sixth century4 ,this is an unusual work in ,gaul1 the only other examples being at ,poitiers and ,le ,puy4 ,it resembles in plan and outline its more famous contemporary at ,ravenna1 and shows eight antique columns1 from a former temple to ,apollo1 with dark shafts and lighter capitals4 ,the dome has a modern stucco finish1 little in keeping with the general tone and purport of this accessory4 ,the cloister of ,st ,sauveur1 in the ,lombard style1 is very curious1 with its assorted twisted and plain columns1 some even knotted4 ,the origin of its style is again bespoke in certain of the round-headed arches4 ,altogether1 as an accessory to the cathedral1 if to no other extent1 this ,lombard detail is forceful and interesting4 ,,iii ,,st4 ,,reparata ,,de ,,nice ,what would you1 then8 ,i say it is most engaging1 in winter when the strangers are here1 and all work day and night2 but it is a much better place in summer1 when one can take their ease4 --,,paul ,,ar,,ne4 ,whatever may be the attractions of ,nice for the travelled person1 they certainly do not lie in or about its cathedral4 ,the guide-books call it simply the principal ecclesiastical edifice 444 of no great interest1 which is an apt enough qualification4 ,in a book which professes to treat of the special subject of cathedral churches1 something more is expected1 if only to define the reason of the lack of appealing interest4 ,one might say with the ,abb ,bourass1--who wrote of ,st4 ,louis de ,versailles1--,it is cold1 unfeeling1 and without life2 or he might dismiss it with a few words of lukewarm praise1 which would be even less satisfying4 ,more specifically the observation might be passed that the lover of churches will hardly find enough to warrant even passing consideration on the entire ,riviera4 ,this last is in a great measure true1 though much of the incident of history and romance is woven about what--so far as the church-lover is concerned--may be termed mere tourist points4 ,at all events1 he who makes the round1 from ,marseilles to ,san ,remo in ,italy1 must to no small extent subordinate his love of ecclesiastical art and--as do the majority of visitors--plunge into a whirl of gaiety 7sic7 as conventional and unsatisfying as are most fulsome1 fleeting pleasures4 ,the sensation is agreeable enough to most of us1 for a time at least1 but the forced and artificial gaiety soon palls1 and he who puts it all behind him1 and strikes inland to ,aix and ,embrun and the romantically disposed little cathedral towns of the valley of the ,durance1 will come once again into an architectural zone more in comport with the subject suggested by the title of this book4 ,it is curious to note that1 with the exception of ,marseilles and ,aix1 scarce one of the suffragan dioceses of the ancient ecclesiastical province of ,aix1 ,arles1 and ,embrun is possessed of a cathedral of the magnitude which we are wont to associate with the churchly dignity of a bishop4 ,st4 ,reparata de ,nice is dismissed as above2 that of ,antibes was early transferred or combined with that of ,grasse2 ,grasse itself endured for a time--from #abde onward--but was suppressed in #agij2 ,glandve1 ,senez1 and ,riez were combined with ,digne2 while ,frjus has become subordinate to ,toulon1 though it shares episcopal dignity with that city4 ,in spite of these changes and the apparently inexplicable tangle of the limits of jurisdiction which has spread over this entire region1 religion has1 as might be inferred from a study of the movement of early ,christianity in ,gaul1 ever been prominent in the life of the people1 and furthermore is of very long standing4 ,the first bishop of ,nice was ,amantius1 who came in the fourth century4 ,with what effect he laboured and with what real effect his labours resulted1 history does not state with minuti4 ,the name first given to the diocese was ,cemenelium4 ,in #ahjb the diocese of ,nice was allied with that of ,aix1 but in the final readjustment its individuality became its own possession once more1 and it is now a bishopric1 a suffragan of ,marseilles4 ,as to architectural splendour1 or even worth1 ,st4 ,reparata de ,nice has none4 ,it is a poor1 mean fabric in the ,italian style2 quite unsuitable in its dimensions to even the proper exploitation of any beauties that the style of the ,renaissance may otherwise possess4 ,the general impression that it makes upon one is that it is but a makeshift or substitute for something more pretentious which is to come4 ,the church dates from #afej only1 and is entirely unworthy as an expression of religious art or architecture4 ,the structure itself is bare throughout1 and what decorative embellishments there are--though numerous--are gaudy1 after the manner of stage tinsel4 ,,iv ,,ste4 ,,marie ,,majeure ,,de ,,toulon ,the episcopal dignity of ,toulon is to-day shared with ,frjus1 whereas1 at the founding of the diocese1 ,toulon stood alone as a bishopric in the ecclesiastical province of ,arles4 ,this was in the fifth century4 ,when the readjustment came1 after the ,revolution1 the honour was divided with the neighbouring coast town of ,frjus4 ,in spite of the fact that the cathedral here is of exceeding interest1 ,toulon is most often thought of as the chief naval station of ,france in the ,mediterranean4 ,from this fact signs of the workaday world are for ever thrusting themselves before one4 ,as a seaport1 ,toulon is admirably situated and planned1 but the contrast between the new and old quarters of the town and the frowning fortifications1 docks1 and storehouses is a jumble of utilitarian accessories which does not make for the slightest artistic or sthetic interest4 ,ste4 ,marie ,majeure is a ,romanesque edifice of the eleventh and twelfth centuries4 ,its faade is an added member of the seventeenth century1 and the belfry of the century following4 ,the church to-day is of some considerable magnitude1 as the work of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries comprehended extensive enlargements4 ,as to its specific style1 it has been called ,provenal as well as ,romanesque4 ,it is hardly one or the other1 as the pure types known elsewhere are considered1 but rather a blend or transition between the two4 ,the edifice underwent a twelfth-century restoration1 which doubtless was the opportunity for incorporating with the ,romanesque fabric certain details which we have come since to know as ,provenal4 ,during the ,revolution the cathedral suffered much despoliation1 as was usual1 and only came through the trial in a somewhat imperfect and poverty-stricken condition4 ,still1 it presents to-day some considerable splendour1 if not actual magnificence4 ,its nave is for more reasons than one quite remarkable4 ,it has a length of perhaps a hundred and sixty feet1 and a width scarcely thirty-five1 which gives an astonishing effect of narrowness1 but one which bespeaks a certain grace and lightness nevertheless--or would1 were its constructive elements of a little lighter order4 ,in a chapel to the right of the choir is a fine modern reredos1 and throughout there are many paintings of acceptable1 if not great1 worth4 ,the pulpit1 by a native of ,toulon1 is usually admired1 but is a modern work which in no way compares with others of its kind seen along the ,rhine1 and indeed throughout ,germany4 ,one of the principal features which decorate the interior is a tabernacle by ,puget2 while an admirable sculptured ,jehovah and the ,angels by ,veyrier1 and a ,virgin by ,canova--which truly is not a great work--complete the list of artistic accessories4 ,the first bishop of ,toulon1 in the fifth century1 was one ,honor4 ,v ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,fr,,jus ,the ancient episcopal city of ,frjus has perhaps more than a due share of the attractions for the student and lover of the historic past4 ,it is one of the most ancient cities of ,provence4 ,its charm of environment1 people1 and much else that it offers1 on the surface or below1 are as irresistible a galaxy as one can find in a small town of scarce three thousand inhabitants4 ,and ,frjus is right on the beaten track1 too1 though it is not apparent that the usual run of pleasure-loving1 tennis-playing1 and dancing-party species of tourist--at a small sum per head1 all included--ever stop here en route to the town's more fashionable ,riviera neighbours--at least they do not en masse--as they wing their way to the more delectable pleasures of naughty ,nice or precise and proper ,mentone4 ,the establishment of a bishopric here is somewhat doubtfully given by ,la ,gallia ,christiania as having been in the fourth century4 ,coupled with this statement is the assertion that the cathedral at ,frjus is very ancient1 and its foundation very obscure2 but that it was probably built up from the remains of a primitive temple consecrated to an idol4 ,such1 at least1 is the information gleaned from a ,french source1 which does not in any way suggest room for doubt4 ,formerly the religious administration was divided amongst a provost1 an archdeacon1 a sacristan1 and twelve canons4 ,the diocese was suppressed in #ahja and united with that of ,aix1 but was restablished in #ahbc by virtue of the ,concordat of #ahag4 ,to-day the diocese divides the honour of archiepiscopal dignity with that of ,toulon4 ,the foundations of ,st4 ,etienne are admittedly those of a pagan temple1 but the bulk of the main body of the church is of the eleventh century4 ,the tower and its spire--not wholly beautiful1 nor yet in any way unbeautiful--are of the period of the ogivale primaire4 ,as to style1 in so far as ,st4 ,etienne differs greatly from the early ,gothic of convention1 it is generally designated as ,provenal-,romanesque4 ,it is1 however1 strangely akin to what we know elsewhere as primitive ,gothic1 and as such it is worthy of remark1 situated1 as it is1 here in the land where the pure round-arched style is indigenous4 ,the portal has a doorway ornamented with some indifferent ,renaissance sculptures4 ,to the left of this doorway is a baptistre containing a number of granite columns1 which1 judging from their crudeness1 must be of genuine antiquity4 ,there is an ancient ,gothic cloister1 hardly embryotic1 but still very rudimentary1 because of the lack of piercings of the arches2 possibly1 though1 this is the result of an afterthought1 as the arched openings appear likely enough to have been filled up at some time subsequent to the first erection of this feature4 ,the bishop's palace is of extraordinary magnitude and impressiveness1 though of no very great splendour4 ,in its fabric are incorporated a series of ,gallo-,roman pilasters1 and it has the further added embellishment of a pair of graceful twin tourelles4 ,the ,roman remains throughout the city are numerous and splendid1 and1 as a former seaport1 founded by ,csar and enlarged by ,augustus1 the city was at a former time even more splendid than its fragments might indicate4 ,to-day1 owing to the building up of the foreshore1 and the alluvial deposits washed down by the river ,argens1 the town is perhaps a mile from the open sea4 ,illustration3 ,detail of ,doorway of the ,archibishop's ,palace1 ,frjus ,illustration ,,vi ,,glise ,,de ,,grasse ,grasse is more famed for its picturesque situation and the manufacture of perfumery than it is for its one-time cathedral1 which is but a simple and uninteresting twelfth-century church1 whose only feature of note is a graceful doorway in the pointed style4 ,the diocese of ,grasse formerly had jurisdiction over ,antibes1 whose bishop--,st4 ,armentaire--ruled in the fourth century4 ,the diocese of ,grasse--in the province of ,embrun--did not come into being1 however1 until #abde1 when ,raimond de ,villeneuve was made its first bishop4 ,the see was suppressed in #agij4 ,there are1 as before said1 no accessories of great artistic worth in the glise de ,grasse1 and the lover of art and architecture will perforce look elsewhere4 ,in the ,hpital are three paintings attributed to ,rubens1 an ,exaltation1 a ,crucifixion1 and a ,crowning of ,thorns4 ,they may or may not be genuine works by the master2 still1 nothing points to their lack of authenticity1 except the omission of all mention thereof in most accounts which treat of this artist's work4 ,,vii ,,antibes ,cap d',antibes1 on the ,golfe ,jouan1 is one of those beauty-spots along the ,mediterranean over which sentimental rhapsody has ever lent1 if not a glamour which is artificial1 at least one which is purely sthetic4 ,one must not deny it any reputation of this nature which it may possess1 and indeed1 with ,st4 ,raphael and ,hyres1 it shares with many another place along the ,french ,riviera a popularity as great1 perhaps1 as if it were the possessor of even an extraordinarily beautiful cathedral4 ,the churchly dignity of ,antibes has departed long since1 though its career as a former bishopric--in the province of ,aix--was not brief1 as time goes4 ,it began in the fourth century with ,st4 ,armentaire1 and endured intermittently until the twelfth century1 when the see was combined with that of ,grasse1 and the ruling dignity transferred to that place4 ,,viii ,,ste4 ,,marie ,,majeure ,,de ,,marseilles ,these brown men of ,marseilles1 who sing as they bend at their oars1 are ,greeks4 --,,clovis ,,hughes4 ,marseilles is modern and commercial2 but ,marseilles is also ancient1 and a centre from which have radiated1 since the days of the ,greeks1 much power and influence4 ,it is1 too1 for a modern city1--which it is to the average tourist1--wonderfully picturesque1 and shows some grand architectural effects1 both ancient and modern4 ,illustration3 ,marseilles ,the ,palais de ,long ,champs is an architectural grouping which might have dazzled luxurious ,rome itself4 ,the ,chamber of ,commerce1 with its decorations by ,puvis de ,chavannes1 is a structure of the first rank2 the ,cannebire is one of those few great business thoroughfares which are truly imposing2 while the docks1 shipping1 and hotels1 are all of that preminent magnitude which we are wont to associate only with a great capital4 ,as to its churches1 its old twelfth-century cathedral remains to-day a mere relic of its former dignity4 ,illustration3 ,the ,old ,cathedral1 ,marseilles ,it is a reminder of a faith and a power that still live in spite of the attempts of the world of progress to live it down1 and has found its echo in the present-day cathedral of ,ste4 ,marie ,majeure1 one of the few remarkably successful attempts at the designing of a great church in modern times4 ,the others are the new ,westminster ,roman ,catholic ,cathedral ,london1 the projected cathedral of ,st4 ,john the ,divine in ,new ,york1 and ,trinity ,church in ,boston4 ,as an exemplification of church-building after an old-time manner adapted to modern needs1 called variously ,french-,romanesque1 ,byzantine1 and1 by nearly every expert who has passed comment upon it1 by some special nomenclature of his own1 the cathedral at ,marseilles is one of those great churches which will live in the future as has ,st4 ,marc's at ,venice in the past4 ,its material is a soft stone of two contrasting varieties1--the green being from the neighbourhood of ,florence1 and the white known as pierre de ,calissant1--laid in alternate courses4 ,its deep sunken portal1 with its twin flanking ,byzantine towers1 dominates the old part of the city1 lying around about the water-front1 as do few other churches1 and no cathedrals1 in all the world4 ,it stands a far more impressive and inspiring sentinel at the water-gate of the city than does the ludicrously fashioned modern sailors' church of ,notre ,dame de la ,gard1 which is perched in unstable fashion on a pinnacle of rock on the opposite side of the harbour4 ,this curiosity--for it is hardly more--is reached by a cable-lift or funicular railway1 which seems principally to be conducted for the delectation of those winter birds of passage yclept ,riviera tourists4 ,the true pilgrim1 the sailor who leaves a votive offering1 or his wife or sweetheart1 who goes there to pray for his safety1 journeys on foot by an abrupt1 stony road1--as one truly devout should4 ,this sumptuous cathedral will not please every one1 but it cannot be denied that it is an admirably planned and wonderfully executed neo-,byzantine work4 ,in size it is really vast1 though its chief remarkable dimension is its breadth4 ,its length is four hundred and sixty feet4 ,at the crossing is a dome which rises to one hundred and ninety-seven feet1 while two smaller ones are at each end of the transept1 and yet others1 smaller still1 above the various chapels4 ,the general effect of the interior is--as might be expected--grandoise4 ,there is an immensely wide central nave1 flanked by two others of only appreciably reduced proportions4 ,above the side aisles are galleries extending to the transepts4 ,the decorations of mosaic1 glass1 and mural painting have been the work of the foremost artists of modern times1 and have been long in execution4 ,the entire period of construction extended practically over the last half of the nineteenth century4 ,the plans were by ,lon ,vaudoyer1 who was succeeded by one ,esprandieu1 and again by ,henri ,rvoil4 ,the entire detail work may not even yet be presumed to have been completed1 but still the cathedral stands to-day as the one distinct and complete achievement of its class within the memory of living man4 ,the pillars of the nave1 so great is their number and so just and true their disposition1 form a really decorative effect in themselves4 ,the choir is very long and is terminated with a domed apse1 with domed chapels radiating therefrom in a symmetrical and beautiful manner4 ,the episcopal residence is immediately to the right of the cathedral1 on the ,place de la ,major4 ,marseilles has been the seat of a bishop since the days of ,st4 ,lazare in the first century4 ,it was formerly a suffragan of ,arles in the ,province d',arles1 as it is to-day1 but its jurisdiction is confined to the immediate neighbourhood of the city4 ,,ix ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,alet ,in ,st4 ,pierre d',alet was a former cathedral of a very early date2 perhaps as early as the ninth century1 though the edifice was entirely rebuilt in the eleventh4 ,to-day1 even this structure--which is not to be wondered at--is in ruins4 ,there was an ancient abbey here in the ninth century1 but the bishopric was not founded until #acah1 and was suppressed in #agij4 ,the most notable feature of this ancient church is the wall which surrounds or forms the apside4 ,this quintupled pan is separated by four great pillars1 in imitation of the ,corinthian order2 though for that matter they may as well be referred to as genuine antiques--which they probably are--and be done with it4 ,the capitals and the cornice which surmounts them are richly ornamented with sculptured foliage1 and1 so far as it goes1 the whole effect is one of liberality and luxury of treatment4 ,immediately beside the ruins of this old-time cathedral is the glise ,st4 ,andr of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries4 ,x ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,montpellier ,la ,ville de ,montpellier ,elle est charmante et douce 444 ,avec son vast ciel1 toujours vibrant et pur1 99 99 99 99 99 ,elle est charmante avec ses brunes jeunes filles 444 le noir diamant de leurs yeux6 --,,henri ,,de ,,bornier4 ,montpellier is seated upon a hill1 its foot washed by two small and unimportant rivers4 ,a seventeenth-century writer has said3 ,this city is not very ancient1 though now it be the biggest1 fairest1 and richest in ,languedoc1 after ,toulouse4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,pierre de ,,montpellier ,from a passage in the records left by ,st4 ,bernard1 the ,abbot of ,clairvaux1 it is learned that there was a school or seminary of physicians here as early as #aaee1 and the perfect establishment of a university was known to have existed just previous to the year #abjj4 ,this institution was held in great esteem1 and in importance second only to ,paris4 ,to-day the present establishment merits like approbation1 and1 sheltered in part in the ancient episcopal palace1 and partly enclosing the cathedral of ,st4 ,pierre1 it has become inseparable from consideration in connection therewith4 ,the records above referred to have this to say concerning the university3 ,tho' ,physic has the ,precendence1 yet both ,parts of the ,law are taught in one of its ,colleges1 by ,four ,royal ,professors1 with the ,power of making ,licentiates and ,doctors4 ,continuing1 he says3 ,the ceremony of taking the ,m4 ,d4 degree is very imposing2 if only the putting on and off1 seven times1 the old gown of the famous ,rabelais4 ,montpellier was one of the towns of security granted by ,henry ,,iv4 to the ,protestants1 but ,louis ,,xiii41 through the suggestions of his cardinals1 ,richelieu and ,mazarin1 forced them by arms to surrender this place of protection4 ,the city was taken after a long siege and vigorous defence in #afbb4 ,before the foundation of ,montpellier1 the episcopal seat was at ,maguelonne1 the ancient ,magalonum of the ,romans4 ,the town does not exist to-day1 and its memory is only perpetuated by the name ,villeneuve les ,maguelonne1 a small hamlet on the bay of that name1 a short distance from ,montpellier4 ,the ,church had a foothold here in the year #fcf1 but the ferocity of ,saracen hordes utterly destroyed all vestiges of the ,christian faith in their descent upon the city4 ,says the ,abb ,bourass3 ,in the eleventh century another cathedral was dedicated by ,bishop ,arnaud1 and the day was made the occasion of a fte1 in consideration of the restoration of the church1 which had been for a long time abandoned4 ,it seems futile to attempt to describe a church which does not exist1 and though the records of the later cathedral at ,maguelonne are very complete1 it must perforce be passed by in favour of its descendant at ,montpellier4 ,having obtained the consent of ,franois ,i41 the bishop of ,maguelonne solicited from the pontiff at ,rome the privilege of transferring the throne4 ,in a bull given in #aecf1 it was decreed that this should be done forthwith4 ,accordingly1 the bishop and his chapter transferred their dignity to a ,benedictine monastery at ,montpellier1 which had been founded in #acfd by ,pope ,urban ,v4 ,the wars of the ,protestants desecrated this great church1 which1 like many others1 suffered greatly from their violence1 so much so that it was shorn entirely of its riches1 its reliquaries1 and much of its decoration4 ,the dimensions of this church are not great1 and its beauties are quite of a comparative quality2 but for all that it is a most interesting cathedral4 ,the very grim but majestic severity of its canopied portal--with its flanking cylindrical pillars1 called by the ,french tourelles lancs--gives the key-note of it all1 and a note which many a more perfect church lacks4 ,this curious porch well bespeaks the time when the ,church was both spiritual and militant1 and ranks as an innovation--though an incomplete and possibly imperfect one--in the manner of finishing off a west faade4 ,its queer1 suspended canopy and slight turreted towers are unique2 though1 for a fact1 they suggest1 in embryo1 those lavish ,burgundian porches2 but it is only a suggestion1 because of the incompleteness and bareness4 ,however1 this porch is the distinct fragment of the cathedral which will appeal to all who come into contact therewith4 ,the general effect of the interior is even more plain than that of the outer walls1 and is only remarkable because of its fine and true proportions of length1 breadth1 and height4 ,the triforium is but a suggestion of an arcade1 supported by black marble columns4 ,the clerestory above is diminutive1 and the window piercings are infrequent4 ,at the present time the choir is hung with a series of curtains of panne--not tapestries in this case4 ,the effect is more theatrical than ecclesiastical4 ,the architectural embellishments are to-day practically nil1 but instead one sees everywhere large1 uninterrupted blank walls without decoration of any sort4 ,the principal decorations of the southern portal are the only relaxation in this otherwise simple and austere fabric4 ,here is an elaborately carved tympanum and an ornamented architrave1 which suggests that the added mellowness of a century or two yet to come will grant to it some approach to distinction4 ,this portal is by no means an insignificant work1 but it lacks that ripeness which is only obtained by the process of time4 ,three rectangular towers rise to unequal heights above the roof1 and1 like the western porch1 are bare and primitive1 though they would be effective enough could one but get an ensemble view that would bring them into range4 ,they are singularly unbeautiful1 however1 when compared with their northern brethren4 ,illustration ,,xi ,,cath,,drale ,d',,agde ,this tiny ,mediterranean city was founded originally by the ,phoenicians as a commercial port1 and finally grew1 in spite of its diminutive proportions1 to great importance4 ,says an old writer3 ,agde is not so very big1 but it is ,rich and ,trading-,merchantmen can now come pretty near ,agde and ,boats somewhat large enter into the ,mouth of the ,river2 where they exchange many ,commodities for the ,wines of the ,country4 ,agde formerly1 as if to emphasize its early importance1 had its own viscounts1 whose estates fell to the share of those of ,nmes2 but in #aahg1 ,bernard ,atton1 son of a ,viscount of ,nmes1 presented to the ,bishop of ,agde the viscounty of the city4 ,thus1 it is seen1 a certain good-fellowship must have existed between the ,church and state of a former day4 ,formerly travellers told tales of ,agde1 whereby one might conclude its aspect was as dull and gloomy as ,black ,angers of ,king ,john's time2 and from the same source we learn of the almost universal use of a dull1 slate-like stone in the construction of its buildings4 ,to-day this dulness is not to be remarked4 ,what will strike the observer1 first and foremost1 as being the chief characteristic1 is the castellated ci-devant cathedral church4 ,here is in evidence the blackish basalt1 or lava rock1 to a far greater extent than elsewhere in the town4 ,it was a good medium for the architect-builder to work in1 and he produced in this not great or magnificent church a truly impressive structure4 ,the bishopric was founded in the fifth century under ,st4 ,venuste1 and came to its end at the suppression in #agij4 ,its former cathedral is cared for by the ,ministre des ,beaux-,arts as a monument historique4 ,the structure was consecrated as early as the seventh century1 when a completed edifice was built up from the remains of a pagan temple1 which formerly existed on the site4 ,mostly1 however1 the work is of the eleventh and twelfth centuries1 notably the massive square tower which1 one hundred and twenty feet in height1 forms a beacon by sea and a landmark on shore which no wayfarer by ship1 road1 or rail is likely to miss4 ,a cloister of exceedingly handsome design and arrangement is attached to the cathedral1 where it is said the mchicoulis is the most ancient known4 ,this feature is also notable in the roof-line of the nave1 which1 with the extraordinary window piercings and their disposition1 heightens still more the suggestion of the manner of castle-building of the time4 ,the functions of the two edifices were never combined1 though each--in no small way--frequently partook of many of the characteristics of the other4 ,aside from this really beautiful cloister1 and a rather gorgeous1 though manifestly good1 painted altar-piece1 there are no other noteworthy accessories2 and the interest and charm of this not really great church lie in its aspect of strength and utility as well as its environment1 rather than in any real sthetic beauty4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,nazaire de ,bziers ,,xii ,,st4 ,,nazaire ,,de ,b,,ziers ,st4 ,nazaire de ,bziers is1 in its strongly fortified attributes of frowning ramparts and well-nigh invulnerable situation1 a continuation of the suggestion that the medival church was frequently a stronghold in more senses than one4 ,the church fabric itself has not the grimness of power of the more magnificent ,st4 ,ccile at ,albi or ,notre ,dame at ,rodez1 but their functions have been much the same2 and here1 as at ,albi1 the ancient episcopal palace is duly barricaded after a manner that bespeaks1 at least1 forethought and strategy4 ,these fortress-churches of the ,south seem to have been a product of environment as much as anything2 though on the other hand it may have been an all-seeing effort to provide for such contingency or emergency as might1 in those medival times1 have sprung up anywhere4 ,at all events1 these proclaimed shelters1 from whatever persecution or disasters might befall1 were not only for the benefit of the clergy1 but for all their constituency2 and such stronghold as they offered was for the shelter1 temporary or protracted1 of all the population1 or such of them as could be accommodated4 ,surely this was a doubly devout and utilitarian object4 ,in this section at any rate--the extreme south of ,france1 and more particularly to the westward of the ,bouches-du-,rhne--the regional wars of religion made some such protection necessary2 and hence the development of this type of church-building1 not only with respect to the larger cathedral churches1 but of a great number of the parish churches which were erected during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries4 ,the other side of the picture is shown by the acts of intolerance on the part of the ,church1 for those who merely differed from them in their religious tenets and principles4 ,fanatics these outsiders may have been1 and perhaps not wholly tractable or harmless1 but they were1 doubtless1 as deserving of protection as were the faithful themselves4 ,this was not for them1 however1 and as for the violence and hatred with which they were held here1 one has only to recall that at ,bziers took place the crowning massacres of the ,albigenses--the most learned1 intellectual1 and philosophic revolters from the ,church of ,rome4 ,beneath the shadow of these grim walls and towers over twenty thousand men and women and children were slaughtered by the fanatics of orthodox ,france and ,rome2 led on and incited by the ,bishop of ,bziers1 who has been called--and justly as it would seem--the blackest-souled bigot who ever deformed the face of ,god's earth4 ,the cathedral at ,bziers is not a great or imposing structure when taken by itself4 ,it is only in conjunction with its fortified walls and ramparts and commanding situation that it rises to supreme rank4 ,it is commonly classed as a work of the twelfth to fourteenth centuries1 and with the characteristics of its era and local environment1 it presents no very grand or ornate features4 ,its first general plan was due to a layman-architect1 ,gervais1 which perhaps accounts for a certain lack of what might otherwise be referred to as ecclesiastical splendour4 ,the remains of this early work are presumably slight2 perhaps nothing more than the foundation walls1 as a fire in #abji did a considerable damage4 ,the transepts were added in the thirteenth century1 and the two dwarfed towers in the fourteenth1 at which period was built the clocher 7#aea feet71 the apside1 and the nave proper4 ,there is not a great brilliancy or refulgent glow from the fabric from which ,st4 ,nazaire de ,bziers is built2 as is so frequent in secular works in this region4 ,the stone was dark1 apparently1 to start with1 and has aged considerably since it was put into place4 ,this1 in a great measure1 accounts for the lack of liveliness in the design and arrangement of this cathedral1 and the only note which breaks the monotony of the exterior are the two statues1 symbolical of the ancient and the modern laws of the universe1 which flank the western portal--or what stands for such1 did it but possess the dignity of magnitude4 ,so far as the exterior goes1 it is one's first acquaintance with ,st4 ,nazaire1 when seen across the river ,orb1 which gives the most lively and satisfying impression4 ,the interior attributes of worth and interest are more numerous and pleasing4 ,the nave is aisleless1 but has numerous lateral chapels4 ,the choir has a remarkable series of windows which preserve1 even to-day1 their ancient protecting grilles--a series of wonderfully worked iron scrolls4 ,these serve to preserve much fourteenth-century glass of curious1 though hardly beautiful1 design4 ,to a great extent this ancient glass is hidden from view by a massive eighteenth-century retable1 which is without any worth whatever as an artistic accessory4 ,a cloister of the fourteenth century flanks the nave on the south1 and is the chief feature of really appealing quality within the confines of the cathedral precincts4 ,the view from the terrace before the cathedral is one which is hardly approachable elsewhere4 ,for many miles in all directions stretches the low1 flat plain of ,languedoc2 the ,mediterranean lies to the east2 the ,cevennes and the valley of the ,orb to the north2 with the lance-like ,canal du ,midi stretching away to the westward4 ,as might be expected1 the streets of the city are tortuous and narrow1 but there are evidences of the march of improvement which may in time be expected to eradicate all this--to the detriment of the picturesque aspect4 ,illustration ,,xiii ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,perpignan ,perpignan is another of those provincial cities of ,france which in manners and customs sedulously imitate those of their larger and more powerful neighbours4 ,from the fact that it is the chief town of the ,dpartment des ,pyrnes-,orientales1 it perhaps justifies the procedure4 ,but it is as the ancient capital of ,rousillon--only united with ,france in #afei--that the imaginative person will like to think of it--in spite of its modern cafs1 tram-cars1 and magazins4 ,like the smaller and less progressive town of ,elne1 ,perpignan retains much the same ,catalonian flavour of physiognomy1 language1 and dress2 and its narrow1 tortuous streets and the jalousies and patios of its houses carry the suggestion still further4 ,the ,treaty of the ,pyrenees in #afei changed the course of the city's destinies1 and to-day it is the fortress-city of ,france which commands the easterly route into ,spain4 ,the city's ,christian influences began when the see was removed hither from ,elne1 where it had been founded as early as the sixth century4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,jean is a wonderful structure4 ,in the lines of its apside it suggests those of ,albi1 while the magnitude of its great strongly roofed nave is only comparable with that of ,bordeaux as to its general dimensions4 ,the great distinction of this feature comes from the fact that its ,romanesque walls are surmounted by a truly ogival vault4 ,this great church was originally founded by the king of ,majorca1 who held ,rousillon in ransom from the king of ,aragon in #acbd4 ,the west front is entirely unworthy of the other proportions of the structure1 and decidedly the most brilliant and lively view is that of the apside and its chapels4 ,there is an odd fourteenth-century tower1 above which is suspended a clock in a cage of iron4 ,the whole design or outline of the exterior of this not very ancient cathedral is in the main ,spanish2 it is at least not ,french4 ,this ,spanish sentiment is further sustained by many of the interior accessories and details1 of which the chief and most elaborate are an altar-screen of wood and stone of great magnificence1 a marble retable of the seventeenth century1 a baptismal font of the twelfth or thirteenth century1 some indifferent paintings1 the usual organ buffet with fifteenth-century carving1 and a tomb of a former bishop 7#afie7 in the transept4 ,the altars1 other than the above1 are garish and unappealing4 ,a further notable effect to be seen in the massive nave is the very excellent pointed vaulting4 ,there are1 close beside the present church1 the remains of an older ,st4 ,jean--now nought but a ruin4 ,the ,bourse 7locally called ,la ,loge1 from the ,spanish ,lonja7 has a charming cloistered courtyard of a mixed ,moorish-,gothic style4 ,it is well worthy of interest1 as is also the citadel and castle of the ,king of ,majorca4 ,the latter has a unique portal to its chapel4 ,it is recorded that ,bishop ,berengarius ,,ii4 of ,perpignan in the year #ajai visited the ,holy ,sepulchre at ,jerusalem1 and on his return built a church or chapel on similar lines in memory of his pilgrimage4 ,no remains of it are visible to-day1 nor can it be further traced4 ,mention of it is made here from the fact that it seems to have been a worthy undertaking1--this memorial of a prelate's devotion to his faith4 ,illustration ,,xiv ,,ste4 ,,eulalia ,d',,elne ,elne is the first in importance of the dead cities which border the ,gulf of ,lyons4 ,it is the ancient ,illiberis1 frequently mentioned by ,pliny1 ,livy1 and1 latterly1 ,gibbon4 ,to-day it is ignored by all save the commis voyageur and a comparatively small number of the genuine ,french touristes4 ,formerly the ancient province of ,rousillon1 in which ,elne is situated1 and which bordered upon the ,spanish frontier1 was distinctly ,spanish as to manners and customs4 ,it is1 moreover1 the reputed spot where ,hannibal first encamped after crossing the ,pyrenees on his march to ,rome4 ,like ,bayonne1 at the other extremity of the ,pyrenean mountain chain1 it commanded the gateway to ,spain1 and even to-day is the real entrance of the railway route to ,barcelona1 as is ,bayonne to ,madrid4 ,between these two cities1 for a distance approaching one hundred and eighty miles1 there is scarce a highway over the mountain barrier along which a wheeled vehicle may travel with comfort1 and the tiny ,republic of ,andorra1 though recently threatened with the advent of the railway1 is still isolated and unspoiled from the tourist influence1 as well as from undue intercourse with either ,france or ,spain1 which envelop its few square miles of area as does the ,atlantic ,ocean the ,azores4 ,to-day ,elne is no longer the seat of a bishop1 the see of ,rousillon having been transferred to ,perpignan in the fourteenth century1 after having endured from the time of the first bishop1 ,domnus1 since the sixth century4 ,there has been left as a reminder a very interesting and beautiful smaller cathedral church of the early eleventh century4 ,alterations and restorations1 mostly of the fifteenth century1 have changed its material aspect but little1 and it still remains a highly captivating monumental glory2 which opinion is further sustained from the fact that the ,commission des ,monuments ,historiques has had the fabric under its own special care for many years4 ,it is decidedly a minor edifice1 and its parts are as unimpressive as its lack of magnitude2 still1 for all that1 the church-lovers will find much crude beauty in this ,romanesque basilica-planned church1 with its dependant cloister of a very beautiful flowing ,gothic of the fifteenth century4 ,the chief artistic treasures of this ancient cathedral1 aside from its elegant cloister1 are a bnitier in white marble2 a portal of some pretensions1 leading from the cathedral to its cloister2 a fourteen-century tomb1 of some considerable artistic worth2 and a bas-relief1 called the ,tomb of ,constans4 ,there is little else of note1 either in or about the cathedral1 and the town itself has the general air of a glory long past4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,just de ,,narbonne ,,xv ,,st4 ,,just ,,de ,,narbonne ,the ancient province of ,narbonenses--afterward comprising ,languedoc--had for its capital what is still the city of ,narbonne4 ,one may judge of the former magnificence of ,narbonne by the following lines of ,sidonius ,apollinaris3 ,salve ,narbo potens ,salubritate1 ,qui ,urb et ,rure simul bonus ,videris1 ,muris1 ,civibus1 ambitu1 ,tabernis1 ,portis1 ,porticibus1 ,foro1 ,theatro1 ,delubris1 ,capitoliis1 ,monetis1 ,thermis1 ,arcubus1 ,harreis1 ,macellis1 ,pratis1 ,fontibus1 ,insulus1 ,salinis1 ,stagnis1 ,flumine1 ,merce1 ,ponte1 ,ponto1 ,unus qui jure venere divos ,lenoeum1 ,cererum1 ,palem1 ,minervam1 ,spicis1 ,palmite1 ,poscius1 ,tapetis4 ,narbonne is still mighty and healthful1 if one is to judge from the activities of the present day2 is picturesque and pleasing1 and far more comfortably disposed than many cities with a more magnificently imposing situation4 ,the city remained faithful to the ,romans until the utmost decay of the western empire1 at which time 7#dfb7 it was delivered to the ,goths4 ,it was first the head of a kingdom1 and later1 when it came to the ,romans1 it was made the capital of a province which comprised the fourth part of ,gaul4 ,this in turn was subdivided into the provinces of ,narbonenses1 ,viennensis1 the ,greek ,alps1 and the ,maritime ,alps1 that is1 all of the later ,savoie1 ,dauphin1 ,provence1 ,lower ,languedoc1 ,rousillon1 ,toulousan1 and the ,comt de ,foix4 ,under the second race of kings1 the ,dukes of ,septimannia took the title of ,ducs de ,narbonne1 but the lords of the city contented themselves with the name of viscount1 which they bore from #aacd to #aejg1 when ,gaston de ,foix--the last ,viscount of ,narbonne--exchanged it for other lands1 with his uncle1 the ,french king1 ,louis ,,xii4 ,the most credulous affirm that the ,proconsul ,sergius ,paulus--converted by ,st4 ,paul--was the first preacher of ,christianity at ,narbonne4 ,the ,church is here1 therefore1 of great antiquity1 and there are plausible proofs which demonstrate the claim4 ,the episcopal palace at ,narbonne1 closely built up with the ,htel de ,ville 7rebuilt by ,viollet-le-,duc71 is a realization of the progress of the art of domestic fortified architecture of the time4 ,like its contemporary at ,laon in the north1 and more particularly after the manner of the papal palace at ,avignon and the archbishop's palace at ,albi1 this structure combined the functions of a domestic and official establishment with those of a stronghold or a fortified place of no mean pretence4 ,dating from #abgb1 the cathedral of ,st4 ,just de ,narbonne suggests comparison with1 or at least the influence of1 ,amiens4 ,it is strong1 hardy1 and rich1 with a directness of purpose with respect to its various attributes that in a less lofty structure is wanting4 ,the height of the choir-vault is perhaps a hundred and twenty odd feet1 as against one hundred and forty-seven at ,amiens1 and accordingly it does not suffer in comparison4 ,it may be remarked that these northern attributes of lofty vaulting and the high development of the arc-boutant were not general throughout the south1 or indeed in any other region than the north of ,france4 ,only at ,bazas1 ,bordeaux1 ,bayonne1 ,auch1 ,toulouse1 and ,narbonne do we find these features in any acceptable degree of perfection4 ,the architects of the ,midi had1 by resistance and defiance1 conserved antique traditions with much greater vigour than they had endorsed the new style1 with the result that many of their structures1 of a period contemporary with the early development of the ,gothic elsewhere1 here favoured it little if at all4 ,only from the thirteenth century onward did they make general use of ogival vaulting1 maintaining with great conservatism the basilica plan of ,roman tradition4 ,in many other respects than constructive excellence does ,st4 ,just show a pleasing aspect4 ,it has1 between the main body of the church and the present ,htel de ,ville and the remains of the ancient archevch1 a fragmentary cloister which is grand to the point of being scenic4 ,it dates from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries1 and is decidedly the most appealing feature of the entire cathedral precincts4 ,illustration3 ,,cloister ,,of ,,st4 ,,just de ,,narbonne4444 ,the cathedral itself still remains unachieved as to completeness1 but its tourelles1 its vaulting1 its buttresses1 and its crenelated walls are most impressive4 ,there are some elaborate tombs in the interior1 in general of the time of ,henri ,,iv4 ,the trsor is rich in missals1 manuscripts1 ivories1 and various altar ornaments and decorations4 ,the choir is enclosed with a series of arena-like loges1 outside which runs a double aisle4 ,there are fragmentary evidences of the one-time possession of good glass1 but what paintings are shown appear ordinary and are doubtless of little worth4 ,decidedly the cathedral is an unusually splendid1 if not a truly magnificent1 work4 ,,part ,v ,the ,valley of the ,garonne ,i ,,introductory ,the basin of the ,garonne includes all of the lower ,aquitanian province1 ,lower ,languedoc1--still a debatable and undefinable land1--and much of that region known of lovers of ,france1 none the less than the native himself1 as the ,midi4 ,literally the term ,midi refers to the south of ,france1 but more particularly that part which lies between the mouth of the ,rhne and the western termination of the ,pyrenean mountain boundary between ,france and ,spain4 ,the term is stamped indelibly in the popular mind by the events which emanated from that wonderful march of the legion1 known as ,les ,rouges du ,midi1 in ,revolutionary times4 ,we have heard much of the excesses of the ,revolution1 but certainly the vivid history of ,les ,rouges as recounted so well in that admirable book of ,flix ,gras 7none the less truthful because it is a novel71 which bears the same name1 gives every justification to those valiant souls who made up that remarkable phalanx2 of whose acts most historians and humanitarians are generally pleased to revile as cruelty and sacrilege unspeakable4 ,flix ,gras himself has told of the ignoble subjection in which his own great-grandfather1 a poor peasant1 was held2 and ,frederic ,mistral tells of a like incident--of lashing and beating--which was thrust upon a relative of his4 ,if more reason were wanted1 a perusal of the written records of the ,marseilles ,battalion will point the way4 ,written history presents many stubborn facts1 difficult to digest and hard to swallow2 but the historical novel in the hands of a master will prove much that is otherwise unacceptable4 ,a previous acquaintance with this fascinating and lurid story is absolutely necessary for a proper realization of the spirit which endowed the inhabitants of this section of the pays du ,midi4 ,to-day the same spirit lives to a notable degree4 ,the atmosphere and the native character alike are both full of sunshine and shadow2 grown men and women are yet children1 and gaiety1 humour1 and passion abound where1 in the more austere ,north1 would be seen nought but indifference and indolence4 ,it is the fashion to call the ,south languid1 but nowhere more than at ,bordeaux--where the ,garonne joins ,la ,gironde--will you find so great and ceaseless an activity4 ,the people are not1 to be sure1 of the peasant class1 still they are not such town-dwellers as in many other parts1 and seem to combine1 as do most of the people of southern ,france1 a languor and keenness which are intoxicating if not stimulating4 ,between ,bordeaux and ,toulouse are not many great towns1 but1 in the words of ,taine1 one well realizes that it is a fine country4 ,the ,garonne valley1 with a fine alluvial soil1 grows1 productively and profitably1 corn1 tobacco1 and hemp2 and by the utmost industry and intelligence the workers are able to prosper exceedingly4 ,the traveller from the ,mediterranean across to the ,atlantic--or the reverse--by rail1 will get glimpses now and then of this wonderfully productive river-bottom1 as it flows yellow-brown through its osier-bedded banks2 and again1 an intermittent view of the ,canal du ,midi1 upon whose non-raging bosom is carried a vast water-borne traffic by barge and canal-boat1 which even the development of the railway has not been able to appreciably curtail4 ,here1 too1 the peasant proprietor is largely in evidence1 which is an undoubted factor in the general prosperity4 ,his blockings1 hedgings1 and fencings have spoiled the expanse of hillside and vale in much the same manner as in ,albion4 ,this may be a pleasing feature to the uninitiated1 but it is not a picturesque one4 ,however1 the proprietorship of small plots of land1 worked by their non-luxury demanding owners1 is accountable for a great deal of the peace and plenty with which all provincial ,france1 if we except certain mountainous regions1 seems to abound4 ,it may not provide a superabundance of this world's wealth and luxury1 but the ,french farmer--in a small way--has few likes of that nature1 and the existing conditions make for a contentment which the dull1 brutal1 and lethargic farm labourer of some parts of ,england might well be forced to emulate1 if even by ball and chain4 ,flat-roofed houses1 reminiscent of ,spain or ,italy--born of a mild climate--add a pleasing variety of architectural feature1 while the curiously hung bells--with their flattened belfries1 like the headstones in a cemetery--suggest something quite different from the motives which inspired the northern builders1 who enclosed their chimes in a roofed-over1 open-sided cubicle4 ,the bells here hang merely in apertures open to the air on each side1 and ring out sharp and true to the last dying note4 ,it is a most picturesque and unusual arrangement1 hardly to be seen elsewhere as a characteristic feature outside ,spain itself1 and in some of the old ,missions1 which the ,spanish ,fathers built in the early days of ,california4 ,between ,bayonne and ,bordeaux1 and bordered by the sea1 the ,garonne1 and the ,adour1 is a nondescript land which may be likened to the deserts of ,africa or ,asia1 except that its barrenness is of the sea salty4 ,it is by no means unpeopled1 though uncultivated and possessed of little architectural splendour of either a past or the present day4 ,including the half of the department of the ,gironde1 a corner of ,lot et ,garonne1 and all of that which bears its name1 the ,landes forms of itself a great seaboard plain or morass4 ,it is said by a geographical authority that the surface so very nearly approaches the rectilinear that for a distance of twenty-eight miles between the dismal villages of ,lamothe and ,labonheyre the railway is a visible meridian4 ,the early eighteenth-century writers--in ,english--used to revile all ,france1 so far as its topographical charms were concerned1 with panegyrics upon its unloveliness and lack of variety1 and of being anything more than a flat1 arid land1 which was not sufficient even unto itself4 ,what induced this extraordinary reasoning it is hard to realize at the present day4 ,its beauties are by no means as thinly sown as is thought by those who know them slightly--from a window of a railway carriage1 or a sojourn of a month in ,brittany1 a week in ,provence1 or a fortnight in ,touraine4 ,the ennui of a journey through ,france is the result of individual incapacity for observation1 not of the country4 ,above all1 it is certainly not true of ,guienne or ,gascony1 nor of ,provence1 nor of ,dauphin1 nor ,auvergne1 nor ,savoie4 ,as great rivers go1 the ,garonne is not of very great size1 nor so very magnificent in its reaches1 nor so very picturesque1--with that minuti associated with ,english rivers of a like rank1--but it is suggestive of far more than most streams of its size and length1 wherever found4 ,its source is well within the ,spanish frontier1 in the picturesque ,val d',aran1 where the boundary between the two countries makes a curious dtour1 and leaves the crest of the ,pyrenees1 which it follows throughout--with this exception--from the ,mediterranean to the ,atlantic4 ,the ,garonne becomes navigable at ,cazres1 some distance above ,toulouse1 and continues its course1 enhanced by the confluence of the ,tarn1 the ,lot1 the ,arrige1 and the ,dordogne1 beyond the junction of which1 two hundred and seventy odd miles from the head of navigation1 the estuary takes on the nomenclature of ,la ,gironde4 ,of the ancient provinces of these parts1 the most famous is ,guienne1 that fair duchy once attached--by a subtle process of reasoning--to the ,english crown4 ,it is distinguished1 as to its economic aspect1 by its vast vineyards1 which have given the wines1 so commonly esteemed1 the name of claret4 ,these and the other products of the country have found their way into all markets of the world through the ,atlantic coast metropolis of ,bordeaux4 ,the ,gascogne of old was a large province to the southward of ,guienne4 ,a romantic land1 say the chroniclers and mere litterateurs alike4 ,peopled by a race fiery1 ardent1 and impetuous 444 with a peculiar tendency to boasting1 hence the term gasconade4 ,the peculiar and characteristic feature of ,gascogne1 as distinct from that which holds in the main throughout these parts1 is that strange and wild section called the ,landes1 which is spoken of elsewhere4 ,the ancient province of ,languedoc1 which in its lower portion is included in this section1 is generally reputed to be the pride of ,france with regard to climate1 soil1 and scenery4 ,again1 this has been ruled otherwise1 but a more or less intimate acquaintance with the region does not fail to endorse the first claim4 ,this wide1 strange land has not vastly changed its aspect since the inhabitants first learned to fly instead of fight4 ,this statement is derived to a great extent from legend1 but1 in addition1 is supported by much literary and historical opinion1 which has recorded its past4 ,it is not contemptuous criticism any more than ,froissart's own words2 therefore let it stand4 ,when the ,french had expelled the ,goths beyond the ,pyrenees1 ,charlemagne established his governors in ,languedoc with the title of ,counts of ,toulouse4 ,the first was ,corson1 in #ggh2 the second ,st4 ,w4 du ,courtnez or ,aux-,cornets1 from whence the princes of ,orange derive their pedigree1 as may be inferred from the hunting-horns in their arms4 ,up to the eighteenth century these states retained a certain independence and exercise of home rule1 and had an ,assembly made up of the three orders of the kingdom1 the clergy1 the nobility1 and the people4 ,the ,archbishop of ,narbonne was president of the body1 though he was seldom called upon but to give the king money4 ,this he acquired by the laying on of an extraordinary imposition under the name of ,don-,gratuit4 ,the wide1 rolling country of ,lower ,languedoc has no very grand topographical features1 but it is watered by frequent and ample streams1 and peopled with row upon row of sturdy trees1 with occasional groves of mulberries1 olives1 and other citrus fruits4 ,over all glows the luxuriant southern sun with a tropical brilliance1 but without its fierce burning rays4 ,mention of the olive suggests the regard which most of us have for this tree of romantic and sentimental association4 ,as a religious emblem1 it is one of the most favoured relics which has descended to us from ,biblical times4 ,a writer on southern ,france has questioned the beauty of the growing tree4 ,it does1 truly1 look somewhat mop-headed1 and it does spread somewhat like a mushroom1 but1 with all that1 it is a picturesque and prolific adjunct to a southern landscape1 and has been in times past a source of inspiration to poets and painters1 and of immeasurable profit to the thrifty grower4 ,the worst feature which can possibly be called up with respect to ,lower ,languedoc is the skyey influences of the ,mistral1 dry and piercingly cold wind which blows southward through all the ,rhne valley with a surprising strength4 ,madame de ,svign paints it thus in words3 ,le tourbillon1 l'ouragan1 tous les diables dechains qui veulent bien emporter votre chteau4 ,foremost among the cities of the region are ,toulouse1 ,carcassonne1 ,montpellier1 ,narbonne1 and ,bziers1 of which ,carcassonne is preminent as to its picturesque interest1 and perhaps1 as well1 as to its storied past4 ,the ,pyrenees have of late attracted more and more attention from the tourist1 who has become sated with the conventionality of the trippers' tour to ,switzerland4 ,the many attractive resorts which the ,pyrenean region has will doubtless go the way of others elsewhere--if they are given time1 but for the present this entire mountain region is possessed of much that will appeal to the less conventional traveller4 ,of all the mountain ranges of ,europe1 the ,pyrenees stand unique as to their regularity of configuration and strategic importance4 ,they bind and bound ,spain and ,france with a bony ligature which is indented like the edge of a saw4 ,from the ,atlantic at ,bayonne to the ,mediterranean at ,port ,bou1 the mountain chain divides its valleys and ridges with the regularity of a wall-trained shrub or pear-tree1 and sinks on both sides to the level plains of ,france and ,spain4 ,in the midst of this rises the river ,garonne4 ,its true source is in the ,piedrafitta group of peaks1 whence its waters flow on through ,toulouse1 various tributaries combining to give finally to ,bordeaux its commanding situation and importance4 ,around its source1 which is the true centre of the ,pyrenees1 is the parting line between the ,mediterranean and the ,atlantic4 ,on one side the waters flow down through the fields of ,france to the ,biscayan ,bay1 and on the other southward and westward through the ,iberian peninsula4 ,few of the summits exceed the height of the ridge by more than two thousand feet2 whereas in the ,alps many rise from six to eight thousand feet above the massif1 while scenic ,mont ,blanc elevates its head over fifteen thousand feet4 ,as a barrier1 the ,pyrenees chain is unique4 ,for over one hundred and eighty miles1 from the ,col de la ,perche to ,maya--practically a suburb of ,bayonne--not a carriage road nor a railway crosses the range4 ,the etymology of the name of this mountain chain is in dispute4 ,many suppose it to be from the ,greek pur 7fire71 alluding to the volcanic origin of the peaks4 ,this is endorsed by many1 while others consider that it comes from the ,celtic word byren1 meaning a mountain4 ,both derivations are certainly apropos1 but the weight of favour must always lie with the former rather than the latter4 ,the ancient province of ,barn is essentially medival to-day4 ,its local tongue is a pure ,romance language2 something quite distinct from mere patois4 ,it is principally thought to be a compound of ,latin and ,teutonic with an admixture of ,arabic4 ,this seems involved1 but1 as it is unlike modern ,french1 or ,castilian1 and modern everything else1 it would seem difficult for any but an expert student of tongues to place it definitely4 ,to most of us it appears to be but a jarring jumble of words1 which may have been left behind by the followers of the various conquerors which at one time or another swept over the land4 ,,ii ,,st4 ,,andr ,,de ,,bordeaux ,one finds here reminders of the ,visigoths1 the ,franks1 the ,saracens1 and the ,english2 and the temples1 theatres1 arenas1 and monuments by which each made his mark of possession yet remain4 --,,aurelian ,,scholl4 ,taine in his ,carnets de ,voyage says of ,bordeaux3 ,it is a sort of second ,paris1 gay and magnificent 444 amusement is the main business4 ,bordeaux does not change4 ,it has ever been advanced1 and always a centre of gaiety4 ,its ftes and functions quite rival those of the capital itself1--at times1--and its opera-house is the most famed and magnificent in ,france1 outside of ,paris4 ,it is a city of enthusiastic demonstrations4 ,it was so in #ahad for the ,bourbons1 and again a year later for the emperor on his return from ,elba4 ,in #aheg it again surpassed itself in its enthusiasm for ,louis ,napoleon1 when he was received in the cathedral1 under a lofty dais1 and led to the altar with the cry of ,vive l'empereur2 while during the bloody ,franco-,prussian war it was the seat of the provisional government of ,thiers4 ,here the ,gothic wave of the ,north has produced in the cathedral of ,st4 ,andr a remarkably impressive and unexpected example of the style4 ,in the general effect of size alone it will rank with many more important and more beautiful churches elsewhere4 ,its total length of over four hundred and fifty feet ranks it among the longest in ,france1 and its vast nave1 with a span of sixty feet1 aisleless though it be1 gives a still further expression of grandeur and magnificence4 ,it is known that three former cathedrals were successfully destroyed by invading ,goths1 ,saracens1 and warlike ,normans4 ,yet another structure was built in the eleventh century1 which1 with the advent of the ,english in ,guienne1 in the century following1 was enlarged and magnified into somewhat of an approach to the present magnificent dimensions1 though no ,english influence prevailed toward erecting a central tower1 as might have been anticipated4 ,instead we have two exceedingly graceful and lofty spired towers flanking the north transept1 and yet another single tower1 lacking its spire1 on the south4 ,the portal of the north transept--of the fourteenth century--is an elaborate work of itself4 ,it is divided into two bays that join beneath a dais1 on which is a statue of ,bertrand de ,goth1 who was ,pope in #acje1 under the name of ,clement ,v4 ,he is here clothed in sacerdotal habits1 and stands upright in the attitude of benediction4 ,at the lower right-hand side are statues of six bishops1 but1 like that of ,pope ,clement1 they do not form a part of the constructive elements of the portal1 as did most work of a like nature in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries1 but are made use of singly as a decorative motive4 ,the spring of the arch which surrounds the tympanum is composed of a cordon of foliaged stone separating the six angels of the premire archivolte from the twelve apostles of the second1 and the fourteen patriarchs and prophets of the third4 ,in the tympanum are three bas-reliefs superimposed one upon the other1 the upper being naturally the smaller4 ,they represent the ,christ triumphant1 seated on a dais between two angels1 one bearing a staff and the other a veil1 while above hover two other angelic figures holding respectively the moon and sun4 ,the arrangement is not so elaborate or gracefully executed as many1 but in its simple and expressive symbolism1 in spite of the fact that the whole added ornament appears an afterthought1 is far more convincing than many more pretentious works of a similar nature4 ,another exterior feature of note is seen at the third pillar at the right of the choir4 ,it is a curious double 7back-to-back7 statue of ,ste4 ,anne and the ,virgin4 ,it is of stone and of the late sixteenth century1 when sculpture--if it had not actually debased itself by superfluity of detail--was of an excellence of symmetry which was often lacking entirely from work of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries4 ,the choir-chevet is a magnificent pyramidal mass of piers1 pinnacles1 and buttresses of much elegance4 ,the towers which flank the north transept are adorned with an excellent disposition of ornament4 ,the greater part of this cathedral was constructed during the period of ,english domination2 the choir would doubtless never have been achieved in its present form had it not been for the liberality of ,edward ,i4 and ,pope ,clement ,v41 who had been the archbishop of the diocese4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,andr dates practically from #abeb1 and is1 in inception and execution1 a very complete ,gothic church4 ,over its aisleless nave is carried one of the boldest and most magnificent vaults known4 ,the nave is more remarkable1 however1 for this gigantic attribute than for any other excellencies which it possesses4 ,in the choir1 which rises much higher than the nave1 there comes into being a double aisle on either side1 as if to make up for the deficiencies of the nave in this respect4 ,the choir arrangement and accessories are remarkably elaborate1 though many of them are not of great artistic worth4 ,under the organ are two sculptured ,renaissance bas-reliefs1 taken from the ancient jube1 and representing a ,descent from the ,cross and ,christ ,bearing the ,cross4 ,there are two religious paintings of some value1 one by ,jordaens1 and the other by ,alex4 ,veronese4 ,before the left transept is a monument to ,cardinal de ,cheverus1 with his statue4 ,surrounding the stonework of a monument to d',ant de ,noailles 7#affb7 is a fine work of wood-carving4 ,the high-altar is of the period contemporary with the main body of the cathedral1 and was brought thither from the glise de la ,role4 ,the ,province of ,bordeaux1 as the early ecclesiastical division was known1 had its archiepiscopal seat at ,bordeaux in the fourth century1 though it had previously 7in the third century7 been made a bishopric4 ,,iii ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,lectoure ,lectoure1 though defunct as a bishopric to-day1 had endured from the advent of ,heuterius1 in the sixth century1 until #agij4 ,in spite of the lack of ecclesiastical remains of a very great rank1 there is in its one-time cathedral a work which can hardly be contemplated except with affectionate admiration4 ,the affairs of a past day1 either with respect to ,church or ,state1 appear not to have been very vivid or highly coloured2 in fact1 the reverse appears to be the case4 ,in pre-medival times--when the city was known as the ,roman village of ,lactora--it was strongly fortified1 like most hilltop towns of ,gaul4 ,the cathedral dates for the most part from the thirteenth century1 and in the massive tower which enwraps its faade shows strong indications of the workmanship of an alien hand1 which was neither ,french nor ,italian4 ,this tower is thought to resemble the ,norman work of ,england and the north of ,france1 and in some measure it does1 though it may be questioned as to whether this is the correct classification4 ,this tower1 whatever may have been its origin1 is1 however1 one of those features which is to be admired for itself alone2 and it amply endorses and sustains the claim of this church to a consideration more lasting than a mere passing fancy4 ,the entire plan is unusually light and graceful1 and though1 by no stretch of opinion could it be thought of as ,gothic1 it has not a little of the suggestion of the style1 which at a former time must have been even more pronounced in that its western tower once possessed a spire which rose to a sky-piercing height4 ,the lower tower still remains1 but the spire1 having suffered from lightning and the winds at various times1 was1 a century or more ago1 removed4 ,the nave has a series of lateral chapels1 each surmounted by a sort of gallery or tribune1 which would be notable in any church edifice1 and there is fine traceried vaulting in the apsidal chapels1 which also contain some effective1 though modern coloured glass4 ,the former episcopal residence is now the local ,mairie4 ,on a clear day1 it is said1 the towers of the cathedral at ,auch may be seen to the northward1 while in the opposite direction the serrated ridge of the ,pyrenees is likewise visible4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,bayonne ,,iv ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,bayonne ,distant are the violet ,pyrenees1 wonderful and regal in their grandeur4 ,the sun is bright1 and laughs joyously at the ,barnais peasant4 --,,jean ,,rameau4 ,bayonne is an ancient town1 and was known by the ,romans as ,lapurdum4 ,as a centre of ,christianity1 it was behind its neighbours1 as no bishopric was founded here until ,arsias ,rocha held the see in the ninth century4 ,no church-building of remark followed for at least two centuries1 when the foundations were laid upon which the present cathedral was built up4 ,like the cities and towns of ,rousillon1 at the opposite end of the ,pyrenean chain1 ,bayonne has for ever been of mixed race and characteristics4 ,basques1 ,spaniards1 ,barnese1 and alien ,french--as the native calls them--went to make up its conglomerate population in the past1 and does even yet in considerable proportions4 ,to the reader of history1 the medival ,barn and ,navarre1 which to-day forms the ,department of the ,basses-,pyrnes in the southwest corner of ,france1 will have the most lively interest1 from the fact of its having been the principality of ,henri ,quatre1 the good king whose name was so justly dear4 ,the history of the ,barnese is a wonderful record of a people of which too little is even yet known4 ,bayonne itself has had many and varied historical associations1 though it is not steeped in that antiquity which is the birthright of many another favoured spot4 ,guide-books and the notes-and-queries columns of antiquarian journals have unduly enlarged upon the fact that the bayonet--to-day a well-nigh useless appendage as a weapon of war--was first invented here4 ,it is interesting as a fact1 perhaps1 but it is not of sthetic moment4 ,the most gorgeous event of history connected with ,bayonne and its immediate vicinity--among all that catalogue1 from the minor ,spanish invasions to ,wellington's stupendous activities--was undoubtedly that which led up to the famous ,pyrenean ,treaty made on the ,isle du ,faisan1 close beside the bridge1 in the river ,bidassoa1 on the ,spanish frontier4 ,the memory of the parts played therein by ,mazarin and ,de ,haro1 and not less the gorgeous pavilion in which the function was held1 form a setting which the writers of poetical plays and historical romances seem to have neglected4 ,this magnificent apartment was decorated by ,velasquez1 who1 it is said1 died of his inglorious transformation into an upholsterer4 ,the cathedral at ,bayonne is contemporary with those at ,troyes1 ,meaux1 and ,auxerre1 in the north of ,france4 ,it resembles greatly the latter as to general proportions and situation1 though it possesses two completed spires1 whereas ,st4 ,etienne1 at ,auxerre1 has but one4 ,in size and beauty the cathedral at ,bayonne is far above the lower rank of the cathedrals of ,france1 and in spite of extensive restorations1 it yet stands forth as a medival work of great importance4 ,from a foundation of the date of #aadj1 a structure was in part completed by #abac1 at which time the whole existing fabric suffered the ravages of fire4 ,work was immediately undertaken again1 commencing with the choir2 and1 except for the grand portal of the west front1 the whole church was finished by the mid-sixteenth century4 ,restoration of a late date1 induced by the generosity of a native of the city1 has resulted in the completion of the cathedral1 which1 if not a really grand church to-day1 is an exceedingly near approach thereto4 ,the fine western towers are modern1 but they form the one note which produces the effect of ensemble1 which otherwise would be entirely wanting4 ,the view from the ,quai ,bergemet1 just across the ,adour1 for picturesqueness of the quality which artists--tyros and masters alike--love to sketch1 is reminiscent only of ,st4 ,lo in ,normandy4 ,aside from the charm of its general picturesqueness of situation and grouping1 ,notre ,dame de ,bayonne will appeal mostly by its interior arrangements and embellishments4 ,the western portal is still lacking the greatness which future ages may yet bestow upon it1 and that of the north transept1 by which one enters1 is1 though somewhat more ornate1 not otherwise remarkable4 ,a florid cloister of considerable size attaches itself on the south1 but access is had only from the sacristy4 ,the choir and apse are of the thirteenth century1 and immediately followed the fire of #abac4 ,neither the transepts nor choir are of great length2 indeed1 they are attenuated as compared with those of the more magnificent churches of the ,gothic type1 of which this is1 in a way1 an otherwise satisfying example4 ,the patriotic ,englishman will take pride in the fact that the ,english arms are graven somewhere in the vaulting of the nave4 ,he may not be able to spy them out1--probably will not be1--but they likely enough existed1 as a mid-,victorian writer describes them minutely1 though no modern guides or works of local repute make mention of the feature in any way4 ,the triforium is elegantly traceried1 and is the most worthy and artistic detail to be seen in the whole structure4 ,the clerestory windows contain glass of the fifteenth century2 much broken to-day1 but of the same excellent quality of its century1 and that immediately preceding4 ,the remainder of the glass1 in the clerestory and choir1 is modern4 ,in the sacristy is a remarkable series of perfectly preserved thirteenth-century sculptures in stone which truthfully--with the before-mentioned triforum--are the real art treasures of the cathedral4 ,the three naves2 the nave proper and its flanking aisles2 the transepts1 attenuated though they be2 and the equally shallow choir1 all in some way present a really grand effect1 at once harmonious and pleasing4 ,the pavement of the sanctuary is modern1 as also the high-altar1 but both are generously good in design4 ,these furnishings are mainly of ,italian marbles1 hung about with tapestries1 which1 if not of superlative excellence1 are at least effective4 ,modern mural paintings with backgrounds in gold decorate the abside chapels4 ,there are many attributes of picturesque quality scattered throughout the city3 its unique trade customs1 its shipping1 its donkeys1 and1 above any of these1 its women themselves picturesque and beautiful4 ,all these will give the artist many lively suggestions4 ,not many of the class1 however1 frequent this ,biscayan city2 which is a loss to art and to themselves4 ,a plea is herein made that its attractions be better known by those who have become ennuied by the resorts4 ,v ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,bazas ,at the time the grand cathedrals of the north of ,france were taking on their completed form1 a reflex was making itself felt here in the ,south4 ,both at ,bayonne and ,bazas were growing into being two beautiful churches which partook of many of the attributes of ,gothic art in its most approved form4 ,st4 ,jean de ,bazas is supposedly of a tenth-century foundation1 but its real beginnings1 so far as its later approved form is concerned1 came only in #abcc4 ,from which time onward it came quickly to its completion1 or at least to its dedication4 ,it was three centuries before its west front was completed1 and when so done--in the sixteenth century--it stood out1 as it does to-day1 a splendid example of a faade1 completely covered with statues of such proportions and excellence that it is justly accounted the richest in the south of ,france4 ,it quite equals1 in general effect1 such well-peopled fronts as ,amiens or ,reims2 though here the numbers are not so great1 and1 manifestly1 not of as great an excellence4 ,this small but well-proportioned church has no transepts1 but the columnar supports of its vaulting presume an effect of length which only ,gothic in its purest forms suggests4 ,the ,huguenot rising somewhat depleted and greatly damaged the sculptured decorations of its faade1 and likewise much of the interior ornament1 but later repairs have done much to preserve the effect of the original scheme1 and the church remains to-day an exceedingly gratifying and pleasing example of transplanted ,gothic forms4 ,the diocese dates from the foundation of ,sextilius1 in the sixth century4 ,,vi ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,lescar ,the bishopric here was founded in the fifth century by ,st4 ,julian1 and lasted till the suppression of #agij2 but of all of its importance of past ages1 which was great1 little is left to-day of ecclesiastical dignity4 ,lescar itself is an attractive enough small town of ,france1--it contains but a scant two thousand inhabitants1--but has no great distinction to important rank in any of the walks of life2 indeed1 its very aspect is of a glory that has departed4 ,it has1 however1 like so many of the small towns of the ancient ,barn1 a notably fine situation3 on a high coteau which rises loftily above the route nationale which runs from ,toulouse to ,bayonne4 ,from the terrace of the former cathedral of ,notre ,dame can be seen the snow-clad ridge of the ,pyrenees and the umbrageous valley and plain which lie between4 ,in this verdant land there is no suggestion of what used--in ignorance or prejudice--to be called an aspect austere and sterile4 ,the cathedral itself is bare1 unto poverty1 of tombs and monuments1 but a mosaic-worked pavement indicates1 by its inscriptions and symbols1 that many faithful and devout souls lie buried within the walls4 ,the edifice is of imposing proportions1 though it is not to be classed as truly great4 ,from the indications suggested by the heavy pillars and grotesquely carved capitals of its nave1 it is manifest that it has been built up1 at least in part1 from remains of a very early date4 ,it mostly dates from the twelfth century1 but in that it was rebuilt during the period of the ,renaissance1 it is to the latter classification that it really belongs4 ,the curiously carved capitals of the columns of the nave share1 with the frescoes of the apse1 the chief distinction among the accessory details4 ,they depict1 in their ornate and deeply cut heads1 dragons and other weird beasts of the land and fowls of the air1 in conjunction with unshapely human figures1 and while all are intensely grotesque1 they are in no degree offensive4 ,there is no exceeding grace or symmetry of outline in any of the parts of this church1 but1 nevertheless1 it has the inexplicable power to please1 which counts for a great deal among such inanimate things as architectural forms4 ,it would perhaps be beyond the powers of any one to explain why this is so frequently true of a really unassuming church edifice2 more so1 perhaps1 with regard to churches than to most other things--possibly it is because of the local glamour or sentiment which so envelops a religious monument1 and hovers unconsciously and ineradicably over some shrines far more than others4 ,at any rate1 the former cathedral of ,notre ,dame at ,lescar has this indefinable quality to a far greater degree than many a more ambitiously conceived fabric4 ,the round-arched window and doorway most prevail1 and the portal in particular is of that deeply recessed variety which allows a mellow interior to unfold slowly to the gaze1 rather than jump at once into being1 immediately one has passed the outer lintel or jamb4 ,the entire suggestion of this church1 both inside and out1 is of a structure far more massive and weighty than were really needed for a church of its size1 but for all that its very stable dimensions were well advised in an edifice which was expected to endure for ages4 ,the entire apse is covered1 inside1 with a series of frescoes of a very acceptable sort1 which1 though much defaced to-day1 are the principal art attribute of the church4 ,their author is unknown1 but they are probably the work of some ,italian hand1 and have even been credited to ,giotto4 ,the choir-stalls are quaintly carved1 with a luxuriance which1 in some manner1 approaches the ,spanish style4 ,they are at least representative of that branch of ,renaissance art which was more representative of the highest expression than any other4 ,in form1 this old cathedral follows the basilica plan1 and is perhaps two hundred feet in length1 and some seventy-five in width4 ,the grandfather of ,henri ,,iv4 and his wife--la ,marguerites des ,marguerites--were formerly buried in this cathedral1 but their remains were scattered by either the ,huguenots or the ,revolutionists4 ,curiously enough1 too1 ,lescar was the former habitation of a ,jesuit ,college1 founded by ,henri ,,iv4 after his conversion to the ,roman faith1 but no remains of this institution exist to-day4 ,illustration ,,vii ,l',,glise ,,de ,,la ,s,,de3 ,,tarbes ,froissart describes ,tarbes as a fine large town1 situated in a plain country2 there is a city and a town and a castle 444 the beautiful river ,lisse which runs throughout all ,tharbes1 and divides it1 the which river is as clear as a fountain4 ,froissart himself nods occasionally1 and on this particular occasion has misnamed the river which flows through the city1 which is the ,adour4 ,the rest of his description might well apply to-day1 and the city is most charmingly and romantically environed4 ,its cathedral will not receive the same adulation which is bestowed upon the charms of the city itself4 ,it is a poor thing1 not unlike1 in appearance1 a market-house or a third-rate town hall of some mean municipality4 ,once the ,black ,prince and his fair maid of ,kent came to this town of the ,bigorre1 to see the ,count of ,armagnac1 under rather doleful circumstances for the count1 who was in prison and in debt to ,gaston ,phoebus for the amount of his ransom4 ,the fair maid1 however1 appears to have played the part of a good fairy1 and prevailed upon the magnificent ,phoebus to reduce the ransom to the extent of fifty thousand francs4 ,in this incident alone there lies a story1 of which all may read in history1 and which is especially recommended to those writers of swash-buckler romances who may feel in need of a new plot4 ,there is little in ,tarbes but the memory of a fair past to compel attention from the lover of antiquity1 of churches1 or of art2 and there are no remains of any note--even of the time when the ,black ,prince held his court here4 ,the bishopric is very ancient1 and dates from the sixth century1 when ,st4 ,justin first filled the office4 ,in spite of this1 however1 there is very little inspiration to be derived from a study of this quite unconvincing cathedral1 locally known as the glise de la ,sde4 ,this ,romanesque-,transition church1 though dating from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries1 has neither the strength and character of the older style1 nor the vigour of the new4 ,the nave is wide1 but short1 and has no aisles4 ,at the transept is a superimposed octagonal cupola1 which is quite unbeautiful and unnecessary4 ,it is a fourteenth-century addition which finally oppresses this ungainly heavy edifice beyond the hope of redemption4 ,built upon the faade is a ,renaissance portal which of itself would be a disfigurement anywhere1 but which here gives the final blow to a structure which is unappealing from every point4 ,the present-day prefecture was the former episcopal residence4 ,the bishopric1 which to-day has jurisdiction over the ,department of the ,hautes-,pyrnes1 is a suffragan of the mother-see of ,auch4 ,,viii ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,condom ,the history of ,condom as an ecclesiastical see is very brief4 ,it was established only in #acag1 on an ancient abbey foundation1 whose inception is unknown4 ,for three centuries only was it endowed with diocesan dignity4 ,its last titulaire was ,bishop ,bossuet4 ,the fine ,gothic church1 which was so short-lived as a cathedral1 is more worthy of admiration than many grander and more ancient4 ,it dates from the early sixteenth century1 and shows all the distinct marks of its era2 but it is a most interesting church nevertheless1 and is possessed of a fine unworldly cloister1 which as much as many another--more famous or more magnificent--must have been conducive to inspired meditation4 ,the portal rises to a considerable height of elegance1 but the faade is otherwise austere4 ,in the interior1 a choir-screen in cut stone is the chief artistic treasure4 ,the sacristy is a finely decorated and beautifully proportioned room4 ,in the choir is a series of red brick or terra-cotta stalls of poor design and of no artistic value whatever4 ,the ancient residence of the bishops is now the ,htel de ,ville1 and is a good example of late ,gothic domestic architecture4 ,it is decidedly the architectural pice de resistance of the town4 ,,ix ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,montauban ,montauban1 the location of an ancient abbey1 was created a bishopric1 in the ,province of ,toulouse1 in #acag1 under ,bertrand du ,puy4 ,it was a suffragan of the see of ,toulouse after that city had been made an archbishopric in the same year1 a rank it virtually holds to-day1 though the mother-see is now known by the double vocable of ,toulouse-,narbonne4 ,montauban is in many ways a remarkable little city2 remarkable for its tidy picturesqueness1 for its admirable situation1 for the added attraction of the river ,tarn1 which rushes tumblingly past its quais on its way from the ,gorges to the ,garonne2 in short1 ,montauban is a most fascinating centre of a life and activity1 not so modern that it jars1 nor yet so medival that it is uncomfortably squalid4 ,the lover of architecture will interest himself far more in the thirteenth-century bridge of bricks which crosses the ,tarn on seven ogival arches1 than he will in the painfully ordinary and unworthy cathedral1 which is a combination of most of the undesirable features of ,renaissance church-building4 ,the faade is1 moreover1 set about with a series of enormous sculptured effigies perched indiscriminately wherever it would appear that a foothold presented itself4 ,there are still a few unoccupied niches and cornices1 which some day may yet be peopled with other figures as gaunt4 ,two ungraceful towers flank a classical portico1 one of which is possessed of the usual ludicrous clock-face4 ,the interior1 with its unusual flood of light from the windows of the clerestory1 is cold and bare4 ,its imposed pilasters and heavy cornices are little in keeping with the true conception of ,christian architecture1 and its great height of nave--some eighty odd feet--lends a further chilliness to one's already lukewarm appreciation4 ,the one artistic detail of ,montauban's cathedral is the fine painting by ,ingres 7#agha-ahfg7 to be seen in the sacristy1 if by any chance you can find the sacristan--which is doubtful4 ,it is one of this artist's most celebrated paintings1 and is commonly referred to as ,the ,vow of ,louis ,,xiii4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,etienne de ,,cahors4 ,x ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,cahors ,st4 ,genulphe was the first bishop of ,cahors1 in the fourth century4 ,the diocese was then1 as now1 a suffragan of ,albi4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,etienne was consecrated in #aaai1 but has since--and many times--been rebuilt and restored4 ,this church is but one of the many of its class1 built in ,aquitaine at this period1 which employed the cupola as a distinct feature4 ,it shares this attribute in common with the cathedrals at ,poitiers1 ,prigueux1 and ,angoulme1 and the great churches of ,solignac1 ,fontevrault1 and ,souillac1 and is commonly supposed to be an importation or adaptation of the domes of ,st4 ,marc's at ,venice4 ,a distinct feature of this development is that1 while transepts may or may not be wanting1 the structures are nearly always without side aisles4 ,what manner of architecture this style may presume to be is impossible to discuss here1 but it is manifestly not ,byzantine pur-sang1 as most guide-books would have the tourist believe4 ,although much mutilated in many of its accessories and details1 the cathedral at ,cahors fairly illustrates its original plan4 ,there are no transepts1 and the nave is wide and short1 its area being entirely roofed by the two circular cupolas1 each perhaps fifty feet in diameter4 ,in height these two details depart from the true hemisphere1 as has always been usual in dome construction4 ,there were discovered1 as late as #ahij1 in this church1 many mural paintings of great interest4 ,of the greatest importance was that in the westerly cupola1 which presents an entire composition1 drawn in black and colour4 ,the cupola is perhaps forty feet in diameter1 and is divided by the decorations into eight sectors4 ,the principal features of this remarkable decoration are the figures of eight of the prophets1 ,david1 ,daniel1 ,jeremiah1 ,jonah1 ,ezra1 ,isaiah1 ,ezekiel1 and ,habakkuk1 each a dozen or more feet in height4 ,taken as a whole1 in spite of their recent discovery1 these elaborate decorations are supposed to have been undertaken by or under the direction of the bishops who held the see from #abhj to #acbd2 most likely under ,hugo ,geraldi 7#acab-af71 the friend of ,pope ,clement ,v4 and of the ,king of ,france4 ,this churchman was burned to death at ,avignon1 and the see was afterward administered by procuration by ,guillaume de ,labroa 7#acaf-acbd71 who lived at ,avignon4 ,it is then permissible to think that these wall-paintings of the cathedral at ,cahors are perhaps unique in ,france4 ,including its sustaining wall1 one of the cupolas rises to a height of eighty-two feet1 and the other to one hundred and five feet4 ,the north portal is richly sculptured2 and the choir1 with its fifteenth-century ogival chapels1 has been rebuilt from the original work of #abhe4 ,the interior1 since the recently discovered frescoes of the cupolas1 presents an exceedingly rich appearance1 though there are actually few decorative constructive elements4 ,the apse of the choir is naturally pointed1 as its era would indicate1 and its chapels are ornamented with frescoes of the time of ,louis ,,xii42 neither very good nor very bad1 but in no way comparable to the decorations of the cupolas4 ,the only monument of note in the interior is the tomb of ,bishop ,alain de ,solminiac 7seventeenth century74 ,the paintings of the choir are supposed to date from #acae1 which certainly places them at a very early date4 ,a doorway in the right of the nave gives on the fifteenth-century cloister1 which1 though fragmentary1 must at one time have been a very satisfactory example4 ,the ancient episcopal palace is now the prefecture4 ,the bishop originally bore the provisional title of ,count of ,cahors1 and was entitled to wear a sword and gauntlets1 and it is recorded that he was received1 upon his accession to the diocese1 by the ,vicomte de ,sessac1 who1 attired in a grotesque garb1 conducted him to his palace amid a ceremony which to-day would be accounted as buffoonery pure and simple4 ,from the accounts of this ceremony1 it could not have been very dignified or inspiring4 ,the history of ,cahors abounds in romantic incident1 and its capture by ,henry of ,navarre in #aehj was a brilliant exploit4 ,cahors was the birthplace of one of the ,french ,popes of ,avignon1 ,john ,,xxii4 7who is buried in ,notre ,dame des ,doms at ,avignon74 ,,xi ,,st4 ,,caprais ,d',,agen ,agen1 with ,cahors1 ,tulle1 ,limoges1 ,prigueux1 ,angoulme1 and ,poitiers1 are1 in a way1 in a class of themselves with respect to their cathedrals4 ,they have not favoured aggrandizement1 or even restoration to the extent of mitigating the sentiment which will always surround a really ancient fabric4 ,the cathedral at ,bordeaux came strongly under the ,gothic spell2 so did that at ,clermont-,ferrand1 and ,st4 ,nazaire1 in the ,cit de ,carcassonne4 ,but those before-mentioned did not1 to any appreciable extent1 come under the influence of the new style affected by the architects of the ,isle of ,france during the times of ,philippe-,auguste 7d4 #abbc74 ,at the death of ,philippe le ,bel 7#acad71 the royal domain was considerably extended1 and the cathedrals at ,montpellier1 ,carcassonne1 and ,narbonne succumbed and took on ,gothic features4 ,the diocese of ,agen was founded in the fourth century as a suffragan of ,bordeaux4 ,its first bishop was ,st4 ,phrade4 ,to-day the diocese is still under the parent jurisdiction of ,bordeaux1 and the see comprises the department of ,lot-et-,garonne4 ,a former cathedral church--,st4 ,etienne--was destroyed at the ,revolution4 ,the ,romanesque cathedral of ,st4 ,caprais dates1 as to its apses and transepts1 from the eleventh century4 ,its size is not commonly accredited great1 but for a fact its nave is over fifty-five feet in width2 greater than ,chartres1 and nearly as great as ,amiens in the north4 ,this is a comparison which will show how futile it is not to take into consideration the peers1 compeers1 or contemporaries of architectural types when striving to impress its salient features upon one's senses4 ,this immense vault is covered with a series of cupolas of a modified form which finally take the feature of the early development of the ogival arch4 ,this1 then1 ranks as one of the early transitions between barrel-vaulted and domed roofs1 and the ,gothic arched vaulting which became so common in the century following4 ,as to the general ground-plan1 the area is not great4 ,its ,romanesque nave is stunted in length1 if not in width1 and the transepts are equally contracted4 ,the choir is semicircular1 and the general effect is that of a tri-apsed church1 seldom seen beyond the immediate neighbourhood of the ,rhine valley4 ,the interior effect is considerably marred by the modern mural frescoes by ,bzard1 after a supposed old manner4 ,the combination of colour can only be described as polychromatic1 and the effect is not good4 ,there are a series of ,roman capitals in the nave1 which are of more decided artistic worth and interest than any other distinct feature4 ,at the side of the cathedral is the ,chapelle des ,innocents1 the ancient chapter-house of ,st4 ,caprais1 now used as the chapel of the college4 ,its faade has some remarkable sculptures1 and its interior attractions of curiously carved capitals and some tombs--supposed to date from the first years of the ,christian era--are of as great interest as any of the specific features of the cathedral proper4 ,,xii ,,ste4 ,,marie ,d',,auch ,the first bishop of ,auch was ,citerius1 in the fourth century4 ,subsequently the ,province d',auch became the see of an archbishop1 who was ,primate of ,aquitaine4 ,this came to pass when the office was abolished or transferred from ,eauze in the eighth century4 ,the diocese is thus established in antiquity1 and endures to-day with suffragans at ,aire1 ,tarbes1 and ,bayonne4 ,the cathedral of ,ste4 ,marie d',auch is not of itself an ancient structure1 dating only from the late fifteenth century4 ,its choir1 however1 ranks among the most celebrated in the ,gothic style in all ,europe1 and the entire edifice is usually accorded as being the most thoroughly characteristic 7though varied as to the excellence of its details7 church of the ,midi of ,france1 though built at a time when the ogival style was projecting its last rays of glory over the land4 ,illustration3 ,,ste4 ,,marie d',,auch ,in its general plan it is of generous though not majestic proportions1 and is rich and aspiring in its details throughout4 ,an ancient altar in this present church is supposed to have come from the humble basilica which was erected here by ,st4 ,taurin1 bishop of ,eauze1 soon after the foundation of the see4 ,if this is so1 it is certainly of great antiquity1 and is exceedingly valuable as the record of an art expression of that early day4 ,taurin ,,ii41 in #hde1 rebuilt a former church1 which stood on the site of the present cathedral2 but1 its dimensions not proving great enough for the needs of the congregation1 ,st4 ,austinde1 in #ajdh1 built a much larger church1 which was consecrated early in the twelfth century4 ,various other structures were undertaken1 some completed only in part and others to the full2 but it was not until #aedh that the present ,ste4 ,marie was actually consecrated by ,jean ,dumas4 ,this gorgeous ceremony1 says the ,abb ,bourass1 was accomplished amid great pomp on the anniversary day of the dedication of the eleventh-century basilica on the same site4 ,in #aeig further additions were made to the vaulting1 and the fine choir glass added4 ,soon after this time1 the glass of the nave chapels was put into place1 being the gift of ,dominique de ,vic4 ,the final building operations--as might be expected--show just the least suspicion of debasement4 ,this quality is to be remarked in the choir-screen1 the porch and towers1 and in the balustrades of the chapels1 to say nothing of the organ supports4 ,the west front is1 in part1 as late as the seventeenth century4 ,in this faade there is an elaborately traceried rose window1 indicating in its painted glass a ,glory of ,angels4 ,it is not a great work1 as these chief decorative features of ,french medival architecture go1 but is highly ornate by reason of its florid tracery1 and dates1 moreover1 from that period when the really great accomplishment of designing in painted glass was approaching its maturity4 ,if any feature of remark exists to excite undue criticism1 it is that of a certain incongruity or mixture of style1 which1 while not widely separated in point of time1 has great variation as to excellence4 ,in spite of this there is1 in the general ensemble1 an imposing picturesqueness to which distance lends the proverbial degree of enchantment4 ,the warm mouse-coloured cathedral and its archbishop's palace1 when seen in conjunction with the modern ornamental gardens and escalier at the rear1 produces an effect more nearly akin to an ,italian composition than anything of a like nature in ,france4 ,it is an ensemble most interesting and pleasing1 but as a worthy artistic effort it does perhaps fall short of the ideal4 ,the westerly towers are curious heavy works after the ,french ,classical manner in vogue during the reign of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,they are not beautiful of themselves1 and quite unexpressive of the sanctity which should surround a great church4 ,the portal is richly decorated1 and contains statues of ,st4 ,roche and ,st4 ,austinde4 ,it has been called an imitation of the portal of ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome1 but this is an opinion wholly unwarranted by a personal acquaintance therewith4 ,the two bear no resemblance except that they are both very inferior to the magnificent ,gothic portals of the north4 ,the interior embellishments are as mixed as to style1 and of as varied worth1 as those of the exterior4 ,the painted glass 7by a ,gascon artist1 ,arnaud de ,moles1 #aegc7 is usually reckoned as of great beauty4 ,this it hardly is1 though of great value and importance as showing the development of the art which produced it4 ,the colour is rich1--which it seldom is in modern glass1--but the design is coarse and crude1 a distinction that most modern glass has as well4 ,ergo1 we have not advanced greatly in this art4 ,the chief feature of artistic merit is the series of one hundred and thirteen choir-stalls1 richly and wonderfully carved in wood4 ,if not the superior to any others in ,france1 these remarkable examples of ,renaissance woodwork are the equal of any1 and demonstrate1 once again1 that it was in wood-carving1 rather than sculptures in stone1 that ,renaissance art achieved its greatest success4 ,a distinct feature is the disposition made of the accessories of the fine choir4 ,it is surrounded by an elaborate screen1 surmounted by sculpture of a richness quite uncommon in any but the grander and more wealthy churches4 ,under the reign of ,st4 ,louis many of the grand cathedrals and the larger monastic churches were grandly favoured with this accessory1 notably at ,amiens and ,beauvais1 at ,burgos in ,spain1 and at ,canterbury4 ,here the elaborate screen was designed to protect the ranges of stalls and their canopied dossiers1 and give a certain seclusion to the chapter and officiants4 ,elsewhere--out of regard for the people it is to be presumed--this feature was in many known instances done away with1 and the material of which it was constructed--often of great richness--made use of in chapels subsequently erected in the walls of the apside or in the side aisles of the nave4 ,this is to be remarked at ,rodez particularly1 where the rerected clture is still the show-piece of the cathedral4 ,the organ buffet is1 as usual 7in the minds of the local resident71 a remarkably fine piece of cabinet-work and nothing more4 ,one always qualifies this by venturing the opinion that no one ever really does admire these overpowering and ungainly accessories4 ,what triforium there is is squat and ugly1 with ungraceful openings1 and the high-altar is a modern work in the pseudo-classic style1 quite unworthy as a work of art4 ,the five apsidal chapels are brilliant with coloured glass1 but otherwise are not remarkable4 ,in spite of all incongruity1 ,ste4 ,marie d',auch is one of those fascinating churches in and about which one loves to linger4 ,it is hard to explain the reason for this1 except that its environment provides the atmosphere which is the one necessary ingredient to a full realization of the appealing qualities of a stately church4 ,the archiepiscopal palace adjoins the cathedral in the rear1 and has a noble donjon of the fourteenth century4 ,its career of the past must have been quite uneventful1 as history records no very bloody or riotous events which have taken place within or before its walls4 ,fnelon was a student at the ,college of ,auch1 and his statue adorns the ,promenade du ,foss4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,etienne de ,,toulouse ,,xiii ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,toulouse ,the provincialism of ,toulouse has been the theme of many a ,french writer of ability1--offensively provincial1 it would seem from a consensus of these written opinions4 ,life and movement in abundance1 but what a life6 444 ,the native is saved from coarseness by his birth1 but after a quarter of an hour the substratum shows itself4 444 ,the working girl is graceful and has the vivacity of a bird1 but there is nothing in her cackle4 444 ,how much more beautiful are the stars that mirror themselves in the gutter of the ,rue du ,bac4 444 ,there is a yelp in the accents of the people of the town4 ,contrariwise we may learn also that the water is fine1 the quays are fine1 and fine large buildings glow in the setting sun in bright and softened hues1 and in the far distance lies the chain of the ,pyrenees1 like a white bed of watery clouds1 and the river1 dressed always in smiling verdure1 gracefully skirts the city4 ,these pessimistic and optimistic views of others found the contributors to this book in somewhat of a quandary as to the manner of mood and spirit in which they should approach this provincial capital4 ,they had heard marvels of its ,romanesque church of ,st4 ,saturnin1 perhaps the most perfect and elaborate of any of its kind in all ,france2 of the curious amalgamated edifice1 now the cathedral of ,st4 ,etienne1 wherein two distinct church bodies are joined by an unseemly ligature2 of the church of the ,jacobins2 and of the seventy-seven religious establishments enumerated by ,taine4 ,all these1 or less1 were enough to induce one to cast suspicion aside and descend upon the city with an open mind4 ,two things one must admit3 ,toulouse does somewhat approach the gaiety of a capital1 and it is provincial4 ,its list of attractions for the visitor is great1 and its churches numerous and splendid1 so why carp at the ape-like manners of the corner loafers1 who1 when all is said1 are vastly less in number here than in many a northern centre of population4 ,the ,muse is charming1 both as to the disposition of its parts and its contents4 ,it was once a convent1 and has a square courtyard or promenade surrounded by an arcade4 ,the courtyard is set about with green shrubs1 and a lofty brick tower1 pierced with little arched windows and mullioned with tiny columns1 rises skyward in true conventual fashion4 ,altogether the ,muse1 in the attractiveness of its fabric and the size and importance of its collections1 must rank1 for interest to the tourist1 at the very head of those outside ,paris itself4 ,as for the churches1 there are many1 the three greatest of which are the cathedral of ,st4 ,etienne1 ,st4 ,saturnin1 and the glise des ,jacobins2 in all is to be observed the universal application or adoption of des matriaux du pays--bricks4 ,in the cathedral tower1 and in that of the glise des ,jacobins1 a ,gothic scheme is worked out in these warm-toned bricks1 and forms1 in contrast with the usual execution of a ,gothic design1 a most extraordinary effect2 not wholly to the detriment of the style1 but certainly not in keeping with the original conception and development of pointed architecture4 ,in #ahfc ,viollet-le-,duc thoroughly and creditably restored ,st4 ,saturnin at great expense1 and by this treatment it remains to-day as the most perfectly preserved work extant of its class4 ,it is vast1 curious1 and in a rather mixed style1 though thoroughly ,latin in motive4 ,it is on the border-line of two styles2 of the ,italian1 with respect to the full semicircular arches and vaulting of the nave and aisles2 the square pillars destitute of all ornament1 except another column standing out in flat relief--an intimation of the quiet and placid force of their functions4 ,with the transition comes a change in the flowered capitals1 from the acanthus to tracery and grotesque animals4 ,there are five domes covering the five aisles1 each with a semicircular vault4 ,the walls1 with their infrequent windows1 are very thick4 ,the delightful belfry--of five octagonal stages--which rises from the crossing of the transepts1 presents1 from the outside1 a fine and imposing arrangement4 ,so1 too1 the chapelled choir1 with its apse of rounded vaults rising in imposing tiers4 ,this fine church is in direct descent from the ,roman manner2 built and developed as a simple idea1 and1 like all antique and classical work1--approaching purity1--is a living thing1 in spite of the fact that it depicts the sentiment of a dead and gone past4 ,it might not be so successfully duplicated to-day1 but1 considering that ,st4 ,saturnin dates from the eleventh century1 its commencement was sufficiently in the remote past to allow of its having been promulgated under a direct and vigorous ,roman influence4 ,the brick construction of ,st4 ,saturnin and of the cathedral is not of that justly admired quality seen in the ancient ,convent of the ,jacobins1 which dates from the thirteenth century4 ,here is made perhaps the most beautiful use of this style of medival building4 ,it is earlier than the ,pont de ,montauban1 the churches at ,moissac or ,lombez1 and even the cathedral at ,albi1 but much later than the true ,romanesque brickwork1 which alternated rows of brick with other materials4 ,the builders of ,gallo-,romain and ,merovingian times favoured this earlier method1 but work in this style is seldom met with of a later date than the ninth century4 ,the glise of ,st4 ,saturnin shows1 in parts1 brickwork of a century earlier than the glise des ,jacobins1 but1 as before said1 it is not so beautiful4 ,when the ,renaissance came to deal with brique1 it did not do so badly4 ,certainly the domestic and civil establishments of ,touraine in this style--to particularize only one section--are very beautiful4 ,why the revival was productive of so much thorough badness when it dealt with stone is one of the things which the expert has not as yet attempted to explain2 at least1 not convincingly4 ,the contrasting blend of the northern and southern motive in the hybrid cathedral at ,toulouse will not remain unnoticed for long after the first sensation of surprise at its curious ground-plan passes off4 ,here are seen a flamboyant northern choir and aisles in strange juxtaposition with a thirteenth-century single vaulted nave1 after the purely indigenous southern manner4 ,this nave nearly equals in immensity those in the cathedrals of ,albi and ,bordeaux4 ,it has the great span of sixty-two feet1 necessitating the employment of huge buttresses1 which would be remarkable anywhere1 in order to take the thrust4 ,the unobstructed flooring of this splendid nave lends an added dignity of vastness4 ,near the vaulted roof are the only apertures in the walls4 ,windows1 as one knows them elsewhere1 are practically absent4 ,illustration3 ,nave of ,st4 ,etienne de ,toulouse ,the congregations which assemble in this great aisleless nave present a curiously animated effect by reason of the fact that they scatter themselves about in knots or groups rather than crowding against either the altar-rail or pulpit1 occasionally even overflowing into the adjoining choir4 ,the nave is entirely unobstructed by decorations1 such as screens1 pillars1 or tombs4 ,it is a mere shell1 sans gallery1 sans aisles1 and sans triforium4 ,the development of the structure from the individual members of nave and choir is readily traced1 and though these parts show not the slightest kind of relationship one to the other1 it is from these two fragmentary churches that the completed1 if imperfect1 whole has been made4 ,the west front1 to-day more than ever1 shows how badly the cathedral has been put together2 the uncovered bricks creep out here and there1 and buildings to the left1 which formerly covered the incongruous joint between the nave and choir1 are now razed1 making the patchwork even more apparent4 ,the square tower which flanks the portal to the north is not unpleasing1 and dates from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries4 ,the portal is not particularly beautiful1 and is bare of decorations of note4 ,it appears to have been remodelled at some past time with a view to conserving the western rose window4 ,there are no transepts or collateral chapels1 which tends to make the ground-plan the more unusual and lacking in symmetry4 ,the choir 7#abge-aejb7 is really very beautiful1 taken by itself1 far more so than the nave1 from which it is extended on a different axis4 ,it was restored after a seventeenth-century fire1 and is supposed to be less beautiful to-day than formerly4 ,there are seventeen chapels in this choir1 with much coloured glass of the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries1 all with weird polychromatic decorations in decidedly bad taste4 ,toulouse became a bishopric in the third century1 with ,st4 ,saturnin as its first bishop4 ,it was raised to the rank of archiepiscopal dignity in #acbg1 a distinction which it enjoys to-day in company with ,narbonne4 ,six former suffragan bishoprics1 ,pamiers1 ,rieux1 ,mirepoix1 ,saint-,papoul1 ,lombez1 and ,lavaur were suppressed at the ,revolution4 ,in the magnificent ,muse of the city is un petit monument1 without an inscription1 but bearing a cross gamme or ,swastika1 and a palm-leaf1 symbols of the divine ,apollo and ,artemis4 ,it seems curious that this tiny record in stone should have been found1 as it was1 in the mountains which separate the sources of the ,garonne and the ,adour1 as the ,swastika is a symbol supposedly indigenous to the fire and sun-worshippers of the ,east1 where it figures in a great number of their monuments4 ,it is called1 by the local antiquary1 a ,pyrenean altar4 ,if this is so1 it is of course of pagan origin1 and is in no way connected with ,christian art4 ,illustration3 ,st4 ,,nazaire de ,,carcassonne ,,xiv ,,st4 ,,nazaire ,,de ,,carcassonne ,with old and new ,carcassonne one finds a contrast1 if not as great as between the hyphenated ,hungarian cities of ,buda and ,pest1 at least as marked in detail4 ,in most ,european settlements1 where an old municipality adjoins a modern one1 walls have been razed1 moats filled1 and much general modernization has been undertaken4 ,with ,carcassonne this is not so2 its winding ways1 its culs-de-sacs1 narrow alleys1 and towering walls remain much as they always were1 and the great stronghold of the ,middle ,ages1 vulnerable--as history tells--from but one point1 remains to-day1 after its admirable restoration of roof and capstone1 much as it was in the days when modern ,carcassonne was but a scattering hamlet beneath the walls of the older fortification4 ,one thing will always be recalled1 and that is that a part of the enceinte of the ancient ,cit was a construction of the sixth century--the days of the ,visigoths--and that its subsequent development into an almost invulnerable fortress was but the endorsement which later centuries gave to the work and forethought of a people who were supposed to possess no arts1 and very little of ingenuity4 ,this should suggest a line of investigation to one so minded2 while for us1 who regard the ancient walls merely as a boundary which sheltered and protected a charming ,gothic church1 it is perhaps sufficient to recall the inconsistency in many previous estimates as to what great abilities1 if any1 the ,goths possessed4 ,if it is true that the ,visigoths merely followed ,roman tradition1 so much the more creditable to them that they preserved these ancient walls to the glory of those who came after1 and but added to the general plan4 ,old and new ,carcassonne1 as one might call them1 in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries had each their own magistrates and a separate government4 ,the ,cit1 elevated above the ville1 held also the garrison1 the presidial seat1 and the first seneschalship of the province4 ,the bishopric of the ,cit is not so ancient as the ville itself2 for the first prelate there whose name is found upon record was one ,sergius1 who subscribed to a ',council' held at ,narbonne in #eij4 ,illustration3 ,the ,old ,cit de ,carcassonne before and after the ,restoration ,st4 ,hilaire1 who founded the abbey at ,poitiers1 came perhaps before ,sergius1 but his tenure is obscure as to its exact date4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,michel1 in the lower town1 has been1 since #ahjc1 the seat of the bishop's throne4 ,it is a work unique1 perhaps1 in its design1 but entirely unfeeling and preposterous in its overelaborate decorations4 ,it has a long parallelogram-like nave1 entirement peinte1 as the custodian refers to it4 ,it has1 to be sure1 a grand vault1 strong and broad1 but there are no aisles1 and the chapels which flank this gross nave are mere painted boxes4 ,episcopal dignity demanded that some show of importance should be given to the cathedral1 and it was placed in the hands of ,viollet-le-,duc in #ahdi for restoration4 ,whatever his labours may have been1 he doubtless was not much in sympathy with this clumsy fabric1 and merely restored it in some measure approaching its twelfth-century form4 ,it is with ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne1 the tiny glise of the old ,cit and the ci-devant cathedral that we have to do4 ,this most fascinating church1 fascinating for itself none the less than its unique environment1 is1 in spite of the extended centuries of its growth1 almost the equal in the purity of its ,gothic to that of ,st4 ,urbain at ,troyes4 ,and this1 in spite of evidences of rather bad joining up of certain warring constructive elements4 ,the structure readily composes itself into two distinct parts3 that of the ,romanesque 7round arch and barrel vault7 era and that of the ,gothic of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries4 ,no consideration of ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne is possible without first coming to a realization of the construction and the functions of the splendidly picturesque and effective ramparts which enclosed the ancient ,cit1 its cathedral1 chteaux1 and various civil and domestic establishments4 ,in brief1 its history and chronology commences with the ,visigoth foundation1 extending from the fifth to the eighth centuries to the time 7#acef7 when it successfully resisted the ,black ,prince in his bloody ravage1 by sword and fire1 of all of ,languedoc4 ,legend has it that in ,charlemagne's time1 after that monarch had besieged the town for many years and was about to raise the siege in despair1 a certain tower1--which flanked the chteau1--defended only by a ,gauloise known as ,carcaso1 suddenly gave way and opened a breach by which the army was at last able to enter4 ,a rude figure perpetuating the fame of this ,madame ,carcaso--a veritable ,amazon1 it would seem--is still seen1 rudely carved1 over the ,porte ,narbonnaise4 ,illustration3 ,two ,capitals of ,pillars in ,st4 ,nazaire de ,carcassonne2 and the ,rude ,stone ,carving of ,carcas ,it is the inner line of ramparts which dates from the earliest period4 ,the chteau1 the postern-gate1 and most of the interior construction are of the eleventh and twelfth centuries1 while the outer fortification is of the time of ,st4 ,louis1 the latter part of the thirteenth century4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,nazaire 444 de ,,carcassonne ,the ,saracens successfully attacked and occupied the city from #gac to #gei1 but were routed by ,pepin-le-,bref4 ,in #ajij was first founded the strong vicomtale dynasty of the ,trencavels4 ,in #abaj the ,crusaders1 under ,simon de ,montfort and the implacable ,abbot of ,citeaux1 laid siege to the ,cit1 an act which resulted in the final massacre1 fifty of the besieged--who surrendered--being hanged1 and four hundred burned alive4 ,in addition to the walls and ramparts were fifty circular protecting towers4 ,the extreme length of the inner enclosure is perhaps three-quarters of a mile1 and of the outer nearly a full mile4 ,it is impossible to describe the magnitude and splendour of these city walls1 which1 up to the time of their restoration by ,viollet-le-,duc1 had scarcely crumbled at all4 ,the upper ranges of the towers1 roof-tops1 ramparts1 etc41 had become broken1 of course1 and the sky-line had become serrated1 but the walls1 their foundations1 and their outline plan had endured as few works of such magnitude have before or since4 ,carcassonne1 its history1 its romance1 and its picturesque qualities1 has ever appealed to the poet1 painter1 and historian alike4 ,something of the halo of sentiment which surrounds this marvellous fortified city will be gathered from the following praiseful admiration by ,gustave ,nadaud3 ,,carcassonne ',i'm growing old1 ,i've sixty years2 ,i've laboured all my life in vain2 ,in all that time of hopes and fears ,i've failed my dearest wish to gain2 ,i see full well that here below ,bliss unalloyed there is for none4 ,my prayer will ne'er fulfilment know2 ,i never have seen ,carcassonne1 ,i never have seen ,carcassonne6 ',you see the city from the hill-- ,it lies beyond the mountains blue1 ,and yet to reach it one must still ,five long and weary leagues pursue1 ,and1 to return1 as many more6 ,ah6 had the vintage plenteous grown1 ,the grape withheld its yellow store6 ,i shall not look on ,carcassonne1 ,i shall not look on ,carcassonne6 ',they tell me every day is there ,not more nor less than ,sunday gay2 ,in shining robes and garments fair ,the people walk upon their way4 ,one gazes there on castle walls ,as grand as those of ,babylon1 ,a bishop and two generals6 ,i do not know fair ,carcassonne1 ,i do not know fair ,carcassonne6 ',the cur's right2 he says that we ,are ever wayward1 weak1 and blind2 ,he tells us in his homily ,ambition ruins all mankind2 ,yet could ,i there two days have spent1 ,while the autumn sweetly shone1 ,ah1 me6 ,i might have died content ,when ,i had looked on ,carcassonne1 ,when ,i had looked on ,carcassonne6 ',thy pardon1 ,father1 ,i beseech1 ,in this my prayer if ,i offend2 ,one something sees beyond his reach ,from childhood to his journey's end4 ,my wife1 our little boy1 ,aignan1 ,have travelled even to ,narbonne1 ,my grandchild has seen ,perpignan1 ,and ,i have not seen ,carcassonne1 ,and ,i have not seen ,carcassonne6' ,so crooned one day1 close by ,limoux1 ,a peasant double bent with age1 ',rise up1 my friend1' said ,i1 'with you ,i'll go upon this pilgrimage4' ,we left next morning his abode1 ,but 7,heaven forgive him7 half way on ,the old man died upon the road2 ,he never gazed on ,carcassonne1 ,each mortal has his ,carcassonne6 ,st4 ,nazaire is possessed of a ,romanesque nave which dates from #ajif1 but the choir and transepts are of the most acceptable ,gothic forms of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries4 ,this choir is readily accounted as a masterwork of elegance1 is purely northern in style and treatment1 and possesses also those other attributes of the perfectionnement of the style--fine glass1 delicate fenestration1 and superlative grace throughout1 as contrasted with the heavier and more cold details of the ,romanesque variety4 ,the nave was dedicated by ,urbain ,,ii41 and was doubtless intended for defence1 if its square1 firmly bedded towers and piers are suggestive of that quality4 ,the principal porte--it does not rise to the grandeur of a portail--is a thorough ,roman example4 ,the interior1 with its great piers1 its rough barrel-vault1 and its general lack of grace and elegance1 bespeaks its functions as a stronghold4 ,a ,romanesque tower in its original form stands on the side which adjoins the ramparts4 ,with the choir comes the contrast1 both inside and out4 ,the apside1 the transepts1 the eleven gorgeous windows1 and the extreme grace of its piers and vaulting1 all combine in the fullest expression of the architectural art of its time4 ,this admirable ,gothic addition was the work of ,bishop ,pierre de ,rochefort in #acba4 ,the transept chapels and the apse are framed with light soaring arches1 and the great easterly windows are set with brilliant glass4 ,in a side chapel is the former tomb of ,simon de ,montfort1 whose remains were buried here in #abah4 ,at a subsequent time they were removed to ,montfort l',amaury in the ,isle of ,france4 ,another remarkable tomb is that of ,bishop ,radulph 7#abff74 ,it shows an unusually elaborate sculptured treatment for its time1 and is most ornate and beautiful4 ,in the choir are many fine fourteenth-century statues2 a tomb with a sleeping figure1 thought to be that of ,bishop du ,puy of ,carcassonne2 statues of the ,virgin1 ,st4 ,nazaire1 and the twelve apostles2 an elaborate high-altar2 and a pair of magnificent candlesticks1 bearing the arms of ,bishop ,martin 7#aebb74 ,an eleventh-century crypt lies beneath the choir4 ,the sacristy1 as it is to-day1 was formerly a thirteenth-century chapel4 ,the organ is commonly supposed to be the most ancient in ,france4 ,it is not of ranking greatness as a work of art1 but it is interesting to know that it has some redeeming quality1 aside from its conventional ugliness4 ,the tour carre1 which is set in the inner rampart just in front of the cathedral1 is known as the ,bishop's ,tower4 ,it is a tower of many stages1 and contains some beautifully vaulted chambers4 ,the celebrated tour des ,visigoths1 which is near by1 is the most ancient of all4 ,the entrance to the old ,cit is via the ,pont ,vieux1 which is itself a medival twelfth or thirteenth century architectural monument of rare beauty4 ,in the middle of this old bridge is a very ancient iron cross4 ,illustration ,,xv ,,cath,,drale ,,de ,,pamiers ,une petite ville sur la rive droite de l',arige1 siege d'un vche4 ,these few words1 with perhaps seven accompanying lines1 usually dismiss this charming little ,pyrenean city1 so far as information for the traveller is concerned4 ,it is1 however1 one of these neglected tourist points which the traveller has ever passed by in his wild rush across country4 ,to be sure1 it is considerably off the beaten track2 so too are its neighbouring ancient bishoprics of ,mirepoix and ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges1 and for that reason they are comparatively unspoiled4 ,the great and charming attraction of ,pamiers is its view of the serrated ridge of the ,pyrenees from the promenade de ,castellat1 just beyond the cathedral4 ,for the rest1 the cathedral1 the fortified glise de ,notre ,dame du ,camp1 the ancient glise de ,cordeliers1 the many old houses1 and the general sub-tropical aspect of the country round about1 all combine to present attractions far more edifying and gratifying than the allurements of certain of the ,pyrenean watering-places4 ,the cathedral itself is not a great work2 its charm1 as before said1 lies in its environments4 ,its chief feature--and one of real distinction--is its octagonal clocher1 in brick1 dating from the fourteenth century4 ,it is a singularly graceful tower1 built after the local manner of the ,midi of ,france1 of which ,st4 ,saturnin and the glise des ,jacobins at ,toulouse are the most notable4 ,its base is a broad square machicolated foundation with no openings1 and suggests1 as truly as does the tower at ,albi1 a churchly stronghold unlikely to give way before any ordinary attack4 ,in the main1 the church is a rebuilt1 rather than a restored edifice4 ,the nave1 and indeed nearly all of the structure1 except its dominant octagonal tower1 is of the seventeenth century4 ,this work was undertaken and consummated by ,mansart after the manner of that period1 and is far more acceptable than the effect produced by most restored churches4 ,the eleventh-century abbey of ,st4 ,antoine formed originally the seat of the throne of the first bishop of ,pamiers1 ,bernard ,saisset1 in #abig4 ,,xvi ,,st4 ,,bertrand ,,de ,,comminges ,to-day ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges1 the ancient ,lugdunum ,convenarum 7through which one traces its communistic foundation71 is possessed of something less than six hundred inhabitants4 ,remains of the ,roman ramparts are yet to be seen1 and its ci-devant cathedral1--of the twelfth to fourteenth centuries--suppressed in #agij1 still dominates the town from its heights4 ,arthur ,young1 writing in the eighteenth century1 describes its situation thus3 ,the mountains rise proudly around and give their rough frame to this exquisite little picture4 ,the diocese grew out of the monkish community which had settled here in the sixth century1 when the prelate ,suavis became its first bishop4 ,to-day the nearest bishop's seat is at ,tarbes1 in the archbishopric of ,auch4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,bertrand de ,,comminges ,as to architectural style1 the cathedral presents what might ordinarily be called an undesirable mixture1 though it is in no way uninteresting or even unpleasing4 ,the west front has a curious ,romanesque doorway1 and there is a massiveness of wall and buttress which the rather diminutive proportions of the general plan of the church make notably apparent4 ,otherwise the effect1 from a not too near view-point1 is one of a solidity and firmness of building only to be seen in some of the neighbouring fortress-churches4 ,a tower of rather heavy proportions is to-day capped with a pyramidal slate or timbered apex after the manner of the western towers at ,rodez4 ,from a distance1 this feature has the suggestion of the development of what may perhaps be a local type of clocher4 ,closer inspections1 when its temporary nature is made plain1 disabuses this idea entirely4 ,it is inside the walls that the great charm of this church lies4 ,it is elaborately planned1 profuse in ornament1--without being in any degree redundant1--and has a warmth and brilliancy which in most ,romanesque interiors is wanting4 ,this interior is representative1 on a small scale1 of that class of structure whose distinctive feature is what the ,french architect calls a nef unique1 meaning1 in this instance1 one of those great single-chambered churches without aisles1 such as are found at ,perpignan1 new ,carcassonne1 ,lodve1 and in a still more amplified form at ,albi4 ,there are of course no aisles2 and for a length of something over two hundred feet1 and a breadth of fifty-five1 the bold vault--in the early pointed style--roofs one of the most attractive and pleasing church interiors it is possible to conceive4 ,of the artistic accessories it is impossible to be too enthusiastic4 ,there are sixty-six choir-stalls1 most elaborately carved in wood--perhaps mahogany--of a deep rich colouring seldom seen4 ,numerous other sculptured details in wood and stone set off with unusual effect the great and well-nigh windowless side walls4 ,the organ buffet of ,renaissance workmanship--as will naturally be inferred--is a remarkably elaborate work1 much more to be admired than many of its contemporaries4 ,among the other decorative features are an elaborately conceived tree of ,jesse1 an unusually massive rood-loft or jube1 and a high-altar of much magnificence4 ,the choir is surrounded by eleven chapels1 showing in some instances the pure pointed style1 and in the latter ones that of the ,renaissance4 ,a fourteenth-century funeral monument of ,bishop ,hugh de ,castillione is an elaborate work in white marble2 while a series of paintings on the choir walls1--illustrating the miracles of ,st4 ,bertrand1--though of a certain crudity1 tend to heighten the interest without giving that effect of the over-elaboration of irrelative details not unfrequently seen in some larger churches4 ,at ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges and the cathedrals at ,arles1 ,cavaillon1 and ,aix-en-,provence1 ,elne-en-,roussillon1 and ,le ,puy-en-,velay are conserved--in a more or less perfect state of preservation--a series of delightful twelfth-century cloisters4 ,these churches possess this feature in common with the purely monastic houses1 whose builders so frequently lavished much thought and care on these enclosed and cloistered courtyards4 ,as a mere detail--or accessory1 if you will1--an ample cloister is expressive of much that is wanting in a great church which lacks this contributory feature4 ,frequently this part was the first to succumb to the destroying influence of time1 and leave a void for which no amount of latter-day improvement could make up4 ,even here1 while the cloister ranks as one of the most beautiful yet to be seen1 it is part in a ruinous condition4 ,illustration ,,xvii ,,st4 ,,jean-,,baptiste ,d',,aire ,this city of the ,landes1 that wild1 bleak region of sand-dunes and shepherds1 abuts upon the more prosperous and fertile territory of the valley of the ,adour4 ,by reason of this juxtaposition1 its daily life presents a series of contrasting elements as quaint and as interesting as those of the bordering ,franco-,spanish cities of ,perpignan and ,bayonne4 ,from travellers in general1 and lovers of architecture in particular1 it has ever received but scant consideration1 though it is by no means the desert place that early ,victorian writers would have us believe4 ,it is in reality a well-built medival town1 with no very lurid events of the past to its discredit1 and1 truthfully1 with no very marvellous attributes beyond a certain subtle charm and quaintness which is perhaps the more interesting because of its unobtrusiveness4 ,it has been a centre of ,christian activity since the days of the fifth century1 when its first bishop1 ,marcel1 was appointed to the diocese by the mother-see of ,auch4 ,the cathedral of ,st4 ,jean-,baptiste belongs to the minor class of present-day cathedrals1 and is of a decidedly conglomerate architectural style1 with no imposing dimensions1 and no really vivid or lively details of ornamentation4 ,it was begun in the thirteenth century1 and the work of rebuilding and restoration has been carried on well up to the present time4 ,illustration3 ,,sts4 ,,benoit et ,,vincent de ,,castres ,,xviii ,,sts4 ,,benoit ,,et ,,vincent ,,de ,,castres ,castres will ever rank in the mind of the wayfarer along the byways of the south of ,france as a marvellous bit of stage scenery1 rather than as a collection of profound1 or even highly interesting1 architectural types4 ,it is one of those spots into which a traveller drops quite unconsciously en route to somewhere else2 and lingers a much longer time than circumstances would seem to justify4 ,this is perhaps inexplicable1 but it is a fact1 which is only in a measure accounted for by reason of the local colour--whatever that vague term of the popular novelist may mean--and customs which weave an entanglement about one which is difficult to resist4 ,the river ,agout is as weird a stream as its name implies1 and divides this haphazard little city of the ,tarn into two distinct1 and quite characteristically different1 parts4 ,intercourse between ,castres and its faubourg1 ,villegondom1 is carried on by two stone bridges2 and from either bank of the river1 or from either of the bridges1 there is always in a view a ravishingly picturesque ensemble of decrepit walls and billowy roof-tops1 that will make the artist of brush and pencil angry with fleeting time4 ,the former cathedral is not an entrancingly beautiful structure2 indeed1 it is not after the accepted good form of any distinct architectural style4 ,it is a poor battered thing which has suffered hardly in the past2 notably at the hands of the ,huguenots in #aefg4 ,as it stands to-day1 it is practically a seventeenth-century construction1 though it is yet unfinished and lacks its western faade4 ,the vaulting of the choir1 and the chapels are the only constructive elements which warrant remark4 ,there are a few paintings in the choir1 four rather attractive life-size statues1 and a series of severe but elegant choir-stalls4 ,the former vch is to-day the ,htel de ,ville1 but was built by ,mansart in #afff1 and has a fine escalier in sculptured stone4 ,as a centre of ,christianity1 ,castres is very ancient4 ,in #fdg there was a ,benedictine abbey here4 ,the bishopric1 however1 did not come into being until #acag1 and was suppressed in #agij4 ,,xix ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,rodez ,the cathedral at ,rodez1 whose diocese dates from the fifth century and whose first bishop was ,st4 ,amand1 is1 in a way1 reminiscent--in its majesty of outline and dominant situation--of that at ,albi4 ,it is not1 however1 after the same manner1 but resembles it more particularly with respect to its west faade1 which is unpierced in its lower stages by either doorway or window4 ,here1 too1 the entrance is midway in its length1 and its front presents that sheer flank of walled barrier which is suggestive of nothing but a fortification4 ,illustration3 ,,notre ,,dame de ,,rodez 444 ,this great church--for it is truly great1 pure and simple--makes up in width what it lacks in length4 ,its nave and aisles are just covered by a span of one hundred and twenty feet1--a greater dimension than is possessed by ,chartres or ,rouen1 and nearly as great as ,paris or ,amiens4 ,altogether ,notre ,dame de ,rodez is a most pleasing church1 though conglomerate as to its architecture1 and as bad1 with respect to the ,renaissance gable of its faade1 as any contemporary work in the same style4 ,rodez lacks1 however1 the great enfolding tower central of ,albi4 ,this mellow and warm-toned cathedral1 from its beginnings in the latter years of the thirteenth century to the time when the ,renaissance cast its dastardly spell over the genius who inspired its original plan1 was the result of the persevering though intermittent work of three centuries1 and even then the two western towers were left incomplete4 ,this perhaps was fortunate2 otherwise they might have been topped with such an excrescence as looms up over the doorless west faade4 ,the ,gascon compares the pyramidal roofs which cap either tower--and with some justness1 too--to the pyramids of ,egypt1 and for that reason the towers are1 to him1 the most wonderful in the universe4 ,subtle humour this1 and the observer will have little difficulty in tracing the analogy4 ,still1 they really are preferable1 as a decorative feature1 to the tomb-like headboard which surmounts the central gable which they flank4 ,the ground-plan is singularly uniform1 with transepts scarcely defined--except in the interior arrangements--and yet not wholly absent4 ,the elaborate tower1 called often and with some justification the beffroi1 which flanks1 or rather indicates1 the northerly transept1 is hardly pure as to its ,gothic details1 but it is a magnificent work nevertheless4 ,it dates from #aeaj1 is two hundred and sixty-five feet high1 and is typical of most of the late pointed work of its era4 ,the final stage is octagonal and is surmounted by a statue of the ,virgin surrounded by the ,evangelists4 ,this statue may or may not be a worthy work of art2 it is too elevated1 however1 for one to decide4 ,the decorations of the west front1 except for the tombstone-like ,renaissance gable1 are mainly of the same period as the north transept tower1 and while perhaps ultra-florid1 certainly make a fine appearance when viewed across the ,place d',armes4 ,this west front1 moreover1 possesses that unusual attribute of a southern church1 an elaborate ,gothic rose window2 and1 though it does not equal in size or design such magnificent examples as are seen in the north1 at ,reims1 ,amiens1 or ,chartres1 is1 after all1 a notable detail of its kind4 ,the choir1 chevet1 and apside are of massive building1 though not lacking grace1 in spite of the absence of the arcs-boutants of the best ,gothic4 ,numerous grotesque gargoyles dot the eaves and gables1 though whether of the spout variety or mere symbols of superstition one can hardly tell with accuracy when viewed from the ground level4 ,the north and south portals of the transepts are of a florid nature1 after the manner of most of the decorations throughout the structure1 and are acceptable evidence of the ingenious craft of the stone-carver1 if nothing more4 ,the workmanship of these details1 however1 does not rise to the heights achieved by the architect who outlined the plan and foundation upon which they were latterly imposed4 ,they are1 too1 sadly disfigured1 the tympanum in the north portal having been disgracefully ravished4 ,the interior arrangements are doubly impressive1 not only from the effect of great size1 but from the novel colour effect--a sort of dull1 glowing pink which seems to pervade the very atmosphere1 an effect which contrasts strangely with the colder atmosphere of the ,gothic churches of the north4 ,a curious feature to be noted here is that the sustaining walls of the vault rest directly on piers sans capitals2 as effective1 no doubt1 as the conventional manner1 but in this case hardly as pleasing4 ,two altars1 one at either end of nave and choir1 duplicate the arrangement seen at ,albi4 ,the organ buffet1 too1 is of the same massiveness and elaborateness1 and is consequently an object of supreme pride to the local authorities4 ,it seems difficult to make these useful and necessary adjuncts to a church interior of the quality of beauty shared by most other accessories1 such as screens1 altars1 and choir-stalls1 which1 though often of the contemporary ,renaissance period1 are generally beautiful in themselves4 ,the organ-case1 however1 seems to run either to size1 heaviness1 or grotesqueness1 or a combination of all4 ,this is true in this case1 where its great size1 and plentifully besprinkled rococo ornament1 and unpleasantly dull and dingy pipes are of no sthetic value whatever4 ,the organ1 moreover1 occupies the unusual position--in a ,french church--of being over the western doorway4 ,the nave is of extreme height1 one hundred and ten feet1 and is of unusual width1 as are also the aisles4 ,the rose window1 before remarked1 shows well from the inside1 though its glass is not notable4 ,a series of badly arched lancets in the choir are ungraceful and not in keeping with the other constructive details4 ,the delicately sculptured and foliaged screen or jub at the crossing is a late fifteenth-century work4 ,in one of the chapels is now to be seen1 in mutilated fragments1 the ancient sixteenth-century clture du choeur4 ,it was a remarkable and elaborate work of bizarre stone-carving1 which to-day has been reconstructed in some measure approaching its former completeness by the use of still other fragments taken from the episcopal palace4 ,the chief feature as to completeness and perfection is the doorway1 which bears two lengthy inscriptions in ,latin4 ,the facing of the clture throughout is covered with a range of pilasters in ,arabesque1 but the niches between are to-day bare of their statues1 if they ever really possessed them4 ,illustration3 ,choir-stalls1 ,rodez ,the choir-stalls and bishop's throne in carved wood are excellent1 as also an elaborately carved wooden grille of a mixed ,arabesque and ,gothic design4 ,there are four other chapel or alcove screens very nearly as elaborate2 all of which features1 taken in conjunction one with the other1 form an extensive series of embellishments such as is seldom met with4 ,two fourteenth-century monuments to former prelates are situated in adjoining chapels1 and a still more luxurious work of the same period--the tomb of ,gilbert de ,cantobre--is beneath an extensive altar which has supposedly ,byzantine ornament of the tenth century4 ,rodez was the seat of a bishop 7,st4 ,amand7 as early as the fifth century4 ,then1 as now1 the diocese was a suffragan of ,albi1 whose first bishop1 ,st4 ,clair1 came to the mother-see in the century previous4 ,,xx ,,ste4 ,c,,cile ,d',,albi ,the cathedral of ,ste4 ,ccile d',albi is one of the most interesting1 as well as one of the most curious1 in all ,france4 ,it possesses a quality1 rare among churches1 which gives it at once the aspect of both a church and a fortress4 ,as the representative of a type1 it stands at the very head of the splendid fortress-churches of feudal times4 ,the remarkable disposition of its plan is somewhat reflected in the neighbouring cathedral at ,rodez and in the church at ,esnades1 in the ,department of the ,charente-,infrieure4 ,in the severe and aggressive lines of the easterly1 or choir1 end1 it also resembles the famous church of ,st4 ,francis at ,assisi1 and the ruined church of ,sainte ,sophie at ,famagousta in the ,island of ,cyprus4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,c,,cile d',,albi 444 ,it has been likened by the imaginative ,french--and it needs not so very great a stretch of the imagination1 either--to an immense vessel4 ,certainly its lines and proportions somewhat approach such a form2 as much so as those of ,notre ,dame de ,noyon1 which ,stevenson likened to an old-time craft with a high poop4 ,a less sthetic comparison has been made with a locomotive of gigantic size1 and1 truth to tell1 it is not unlike that1 either1 with its advancing tower4 ,the extreme width of the great nave of this church is nearly ninety feet1 and its body is constructed1 after an unusual manner1 of a warm1 rosy-coloured brick4 ,in fact the only considerable portions of the structure not so done are the clture of the choir1 the window-mullions1 and the flamboyant ,gothic porch of the south side4 ,by reason of its uncommon constructive elements1--though by no means is it the sole representative of its kind in the south of ,france1--,ste4 ,ccile stands forth as the most considerable edifice of its kind among those which were constructed after this manner of ,roman antiquity4 ,brickwork of this nature1 as is well known1 is very enduring1 and it therefore makes much for the lasting qualities of a structure so built2 much more so1 in fact1 than the crumbling soft stone which is often used1 and which crumbles before the march of time like lead in a furnace4 ,ste4 ,ccile was begun in #abhb1 on the ruins of the ancient church of ,st4 ,croix4 ,it came to its completion during the latter years of the fourteenth century1 when it stood much as it does to-day1 grim and strong1 but very beautiful4 ,the only exterior addition of a later time is the before-remarked florid south porch4 ,this baldaquin is very charmingly worked in a light brown stone1 and1 while flamboyant to an ultra degree1 is more graceful in design and execution than most works of a contemporary era which are welded to a stone fabric whose constructive and decorative details are of quite a distinctly different species4 ,in other words1 it composes and adds a graceful beauty to the brick fabric of this great church2 but likely enough it would offend exceedingly were it brought into juxtaposition with the more slim lines of early ,gothic4 ,its detail here is the very culmination of the height to which ,gothic rose before its final debasement1 and1 in its spirited non-contemporaneous admixture with the firmly planted brick walls which form its background1 may be reckoned as a baroque in art rather than as a thing outr or misplaced4 ,in further explanation of the peculiar fortress-like qualities possessed by ,ste4 ,ccile1 it may be mentioned here that it was the outcome of a desire for the safety of the church and its adherents which caused it to take this form4 ,it was the direct result of the terrible wars of the ,albigenses1 and the political and social conditions of the age in which it was built1--the days when the ,church was truly militant4 ,here1 too1 to a more impressive extent than elsewhere1 if we except the papal palace at ,avignon1 the episcopal residence as well takes on an aspect which is not far different from that possessed by some of the secular chteaux of feudal times4 ,it closely adjoins the cathedral1 which should perhaps dispute this4 ,in reality1 however1 it does not1 and its walls and foundations look far more worldly than they do devout4 ,as to impressiveness1 this stronghold of a bishop's palace is thoroughly in keeping with the cathedral itself1 and the frowning battlement of its veritable donjon and walls and ramparts suggests a deal more than the mere name by which it is known would justify4 ,such use as it was previously put to was well served1 and the history of the troublous times of the medival ages1 when the wars of the ,protestants1 the cursed ,albigenses1 and the natural political and social dissensions1 form a chapter around which one could weave much of the history of this majestic cathedral and its walled and fortified environment4 ,the interior of the cathedral will appeal first of all by its very grand proportions1 and next by the curious ill-mannered decorations with which the walls are entirely covered4 ,there is a certain gloom in this interior1 induced by the fact that the windows are mere elongated slits in the walls4 ,there are no aisles1 no triforium1 and no clerestory2 nothing but a vast expanse of wall with bizarre decorations and these unusual window piercings4 ,the arrangement of the openings in the tower are even more remarkable--what there are of them1 for in truth it is here that the greatest likeness to a fortification is seen4 ,in the lower stages of the tower there are no openings whatever1 while above they are practically nothing but loopholes4 ,the fine choir-screen1 in stone1 is considered one of the most beautiful and magnificent in ,france1 and to see it is to believe the statement4 ,the entire clture of the choir is a wonderful piece of stonework1 and the hundred and twenty stalls1 which are within its walls1 form of themselves an excess of elaboration which perhaps in a more garish light would be oppressive4 ,the wall-paintings or frescoes are decidedly not beautiful1 being for the most part crudely coloured geometrical designs scattered about with no relation one to another4 ,they date from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1 and are doubtless ,italian as to their workmanship1 but they betray no great skill on the part of those unknowns who are responsible for them4 ,the pulpit is an unusually ornate work for a ,french church1 but is hardly beautiful as a work of art4 ,no more is the organ-case1 which1 as if in keeping with the vast interior1 spreads itself over a great extent of wall space4 ,taken all in all1 the accessories of the cathedral at ,albi1 none the less than the unique plan and execution thereof1 the south porch1 the massive tower1 the jube and clture of the choir1 the vast unobstructed interior1 and the outr wall decorations1 place it as one of the most consistently and thoroughly completed edifices of its rank in ,france4 ,nothing apparently is wanting1 and though possessed of no great wealth of accessory--if one excepts the choir enclosure alone--it is one of those shrines which1 by reason of its very individuality1 will live long in the memory4 ,it has been said1 moreover1 to stand alone as to the extensive and complete exemplification of l'art decoratif in ,france2 that is1 as being distinctively ,french throughout4 ,the evolution of these component elements took but the comparatively small space of time covered by two centuries--from the fourteenth to the sixteenth4 ,the culmination resulted in what is still to be seen in all its pristine glory to-day1 for ,ste4 ,ccile has not suffered the depredation of many another shrine4 ,the general plan is distinctly and indigenously ,french2 ,french to the very core--born of the soil of the ,midi1 and bears no resemblance whatever to any exotic from another land4 ,with the decorative elements the case may be somewhat qualified4 ,the baldaquin--like the choir-screen--more than equals in delicacy and grace the portals of such masterworks as ,notre ,dame de ,rouen1 ,st4 ,maclou1 or even the cathedral at ,troyes1 though of less magnitude than any of these examples4 ,on the other hand1 it was undoubtedly inspired by northern precept1 as also were the ornamental sculptures in wood and stone which are to be seen in the interior4 ,albi was a bishopric as early as the fourth century1 with ,st4 ,clair as its first bishop4 ,at the time the present cathedral was begun it became an archbishopric1 and as such it has endured until to-day1 with suffragans at ,rodez1 ,cahors1 ,mende1 and ,perpignan4 ,,xxi ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,mende ,in the heart of the ,gvaudan1 ,mende is the most picturesque1 mountain-locked little city imaginable1 with no very remarkable features surrounding it1 nor any very grand artificial ones contained within it4 ,the mountains here1 unlike the more fruitful plains of the lower ,gvaudan1 are covered with snow all of the winter4 ,it is said that the inhabitants of the mountainous upper ,gvaudan used to go into ,spain every winter to get a livelihood4 ,why1 it is difficult to understand4 ,the mountain and valley towns around ,mende look no less prosperous than those of ,switzerland1 though to be sure the inhabitants have never here had1 and perhaps never will have1 the influx of tourists to live off of1 as in the latter region4 ,illustration3 ,,st4 ,,pierre de ,,mende ,during an invasion of the ,alemanni into ,gaul1 in the third century1 the principal city of ,gvaudan was plundered and ruined4 ,the bishop1 ,st4 ,privat1 fled into the ,cavern of ,memate or ,mende1 whither the ,germans followed and killed him4 ,the holy man was interred in the neighbouring village of ,mende1 and the veneration which people had for his memory caused them to develop it into a considerable place4 ,such is the popular legend1 at any rate4 ,the city had no bishop of its own1 however1 until the middle of the tenth century4 ,previously the bishops were known as ,bishops of ,gvaudan4 ,at last1 however1 the prelates fixed their seat at ,mende1 and great numbers of people resorted thither by reason of the sepulchre of ,st4 ,privat4 ,by virtue of an agreement with ,philippe-le-,bel1 in #acjf1 the bishop became ,count of ,gvaudan4 ,he claimed also the right of administering the laws and the coining of specie4 ,mende is worth visiting for itself alone and for its cathedral4 ,it is difficult to say which will interest the absolute stranger the more4 ,the spired ,st4 ,pierre de ,mende is but a fourteenth-century church1 with restorations of the seventeenth1 but there is a certain grimness and primitiveness about its fabric which would otherwise seem to place it as of a much earlier date4 ,the seventeenth-century restorations amounted practically to a reconstruction1 as the ,calvinists had partly destroyed the fabric4 ,the two fine towers of the century before were left standing1 but without their spires4 ,the city itself lies at a height of over seven hundred kilometres1 and the pic rises another three hundred kilometres above4 ,the surrounding green basin of hillsides encloses the city in a circular depression1 which1 with its cathedral as the hub1 radiates in long1 straight roadways to the bases of these verdure-clad hills4 ,it is not possible to have a general view of the cathedral without its imposing background of mountain or hilltops1 and for this reason1 while the entire city may appear dwarfed1 and its cathedral likewise diminished in size1 they both show in reality the strong contrasting effect of nature and art4 ,the cathedral towers1 built by ,bishop de la ,rovre1 are of sturdy though not great proportions1 and the half-suggested spires rise skyward in as piercing a manner as if they were continued another hundred feet4 ,as a matter of fact one rises to a height of two hundred and three feet1 and the other to two hundred and seventy-six feet1 so at least1 they are not diminutive4 ,the taller of these pleasing towers is really a remarkable work4 ,the general plan of the cathedral is the conventional ,gothic conception1 which was not changed in the seventeenth-century reconstruction4 ,the nave is flanked with the usual aisles1 which in turn are abutted with ten chapels on either side4 ,just within the left portal is preserved the old bourdon called la ,non-,pareille1 a curiosity which seems in questionable taste for inclusion within a cathedral4 ,the rose window of the portal shows in the interior with considerable effect1 though it is of not great elegance or magnificence of itself4 ,in the ,chapelle des ,catechismes1 immediately beneath the tower1 is an unusual ,assumption4 ,as a work of art its rank is not high1 and its artist is unknown1 but in its conception it is unique and wonderful4 ,there are some excellent wood-carvings in the ,chapelle du ,baptistre1 a description which applies as well to the stalls of the choir4 ,around the sanctuary hang seven tapestries1 ancient1 it is said1 but of no great beauty in themselves4 ,in a chapel on the north side of the choir is a miraculous statue of la ,vierge ,noir4 ,the organ buffet dates from #afdj1 and is of the ridiculous overpowering bulk of most works of its class4 ,the bishopric1 founded by ,st4 ,svrein in the third century at ,civitas ,gabalorum1 was restablished at ,mende in the year #ajjj4 ,the ,ermitage de ,st4 ,privat1 the holy shrine of the former habitation of the holy man whose name it bears1 is situated a few kilometres away on the side of ,mont ,mimat4 ,it is a favourite place of pilgrimage1 and from the platform of the chapel is to be had a fine view of the city and its cathedral4 ,,xxii ,,other ,,old-,,time ,,cathedrals ,,in ,,and ,,about ,,the ,,basin ,,of ,,the ,,garonne ,dax ,at ,dax1 an ancient thermal station of the ,romans1 is a small cathedral1 mainly modern1 with a portal of the thirteenth century4 ,it was reconstructed from these thirteenth-century remains in the seventeenth century1 and exhibits no marks of beauty which would have established its ranking greatness even at that time4 ,dax was a bishopric in the province of ,auch in the third century1 but the see was suppressed in #ahjb4 ,eauze ,eauze was an archbishopric in the third century1 when ,st4 ,paterne was its first dignitary4 ,subsequently--in the following century--the archbishopric was transferred to ,auch4 ,as ,elusa it was an important place in the time of ,csar1 but was completely destroyed in the early part of the tenth century4 ,eauze1 therefore1 has no church edifice which ever ranked as a cathedral1 but there is a fine ,gothic church of the late fifteenth century which is1 in every way1 an architectural monument worthy of remark4 ,lombez ,the bishopric of ,lombez1 in the ancient ecclesiastical province of ,toulouse1 endured from #acbh 7a tenth-century ,benedictine abbey foundation74 ,its first bishop was one ,roger de ,comminges1 a monk who came from the monastic community of ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges4 ,the see was suppressed in #agij4 ,st4 ,papoul ,st4 ,papoul was a bishopric from #acag until #agij4 ,its cathedral is in many respects a really fine work4 ,it was an ancient abbatial church in the ,romanesque style1 and has an attractive cloister built after the same manner4 ,rieux ,rieux is perhaps the tiniest ville of ,france which has ever possessed episcopal dignity4 ,it is situated on a mere rivulet--a branch of the ,arize1 which itself is not much more1 but which in turn goes to swell the flood of ,la ,garonne4 ,its one-time cathedral is perhaps not remarkable in any way1 though it has a fine fifteenth-century tower in brique4 ,the bishopric was founded in #acgj under ,guillaum de ,brutia1 and was suppressed in #agij4 ,lavaur ,lavaur was a bishopric1 in the ecclesiastical province of ,toulouse1 from #acag to #agij4 ,its cathedral of brick is of the fourteenth century1 with a clocher dating from #aeae1 and a smaller tower1 embracing a jacquemart1 of the sixteenth century4 ,in the interior is a fine sixteenth-century painting1 but there are no other artistic treasures or details of note4 ,oloron ,oloron was a bishopric under ,st4 ,gratus in the sixth century2 it ceased its functions as the head of a diocese at the suppression of #agij4 ,the former cathedral of ,ste4 ,marie is a fine ,romanic-,ogivale edifice of the eleventh century1 though its constructive era may be said to extend well toward the fifteenth before it reached completion4 ,there is a remarkably beautiful ,romanesque sculptured portal4 ,the nave is doubled1 as to its aisles1 and is one hundred and fifty feet or more in length and one hundred and six wide1 an astonishing breadth when one comes to think of it1 and a dimension which is not equalled by any minor cathedral4 ,there are no other notable features beyond the general attractiveness of its charming environment4 ,the ancient vche has a fine ,romanesque tower1 and the cathedral itself is reckoned1 by a paternal government1 as a monument historique1 and as such is cared for at public expense4 ,vabres ,vabres was a bishopric which came into being as an aftergrowth of a ,benedictine foundation of the ninth century1 though its episcopal functions only began in #acah1 and ceased with the ,revolutionary suppression4 ,it was a suffragan in the archiepiscopal diocese of ,albi4 ,its former cathedral1 while little to be remarked to-day as a really grand church edifice1 was by no means an unworthy fane4 ,it dates from the fourteenth century1 and in part is thoroughly representative of the ,gothic of that era4 ,it was rebuilt in the eighteenth century1 and a fine clocher added4 ,st4 ,lizier or ,couserans ,the present-day ,st4 ,lizier--a tiny ,pyrenean city--was the former ,gallo-,romain city of ,couserans4 ,it retained this name when it was first made a bishopric by ,st4 ,valre in the fifth century4 ,the see was suppressed in #agij4 ,the glise de ,st4 ,lizier1 of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries1 consists of a choir and a nave1 but no aisles4 ,it shows some traces of fine ,roman sculpture1 and a mere suggestion of a cloister4 ,the former bishop's palace dates only from the seventeenth century4 ,sarlat ,a ,benedictine abbey was founded here in the eighth century1 and from this grew up the bishopric which took form in #acag under ,raimond de ,roquecarne1 which in due course was finally abolished and the town stripped of its episcopal rank4 ,the former cathedral dates from the eleventh and twelfth centuries1 and in part from the fifteenth4 ,connected therewith is a sepulchral chapel1 called the tour des ,maures4 ,it is of two tages1 and dates from the twelfth century4 ,st4 ,pons de ,tomiers ,st4 ,pons is the seat of an ancient bishopric now suppressed4 ,it is a charming village--it can hardly be named more ambitiously--situated at the source of the river ,jaur1 which rises in the ,montagnes ,noir in ,lower ,languedoc4 ,its former cathedral is not of great interest as an architectural type1 though it dates from the twelfth century4 ,the faade is of the eighteenth century1 but one of its side chapels dates from the fourteenth4 ,st4 ,maurice de ,mirepoix ,mirepoix is a charming little city of the slopes of the ,pyrenees4 ,its ancient cathedral of ,st4 ,maurice dates from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1 and has no very splendid features or appointments1--not even of the ,renaissance order1--as might be expected from its magnitude4 ,its sole possession of note is the clocher1 which rises to an approximate height of two hundred feet4 ,the bishopric was founded in #acah by ,raimond ,athone1 but was suppressed in #agij4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,end4 ,appendices ,i ,illustration3 ,sketch map showing the usual geographical divisions of ,france4 ,i41 north2 ,,ii41 northwest2 ,,iii41 east2 ,,iv41 southwest2 ,v41 southeast3 also the present departments into which the government is divided1 with their names2 and the medival provinces which were gradually absorbed into the kingdom of ,france4 ,there is in general one bishopric to a department4 ,the subject-matter of this book treats of all of southwestern and southeastern ,france2 with1 in addition1 the departments of ,sane-et-,loire1 ,jura1 ,rhne1 ,loire1 ,ain1 and ,allier4 ,,ii ,a ,historical ,table of the ,dioceses of the ,south of ,france up to the beginning of the nineteenth century4 ,province d',aix ,name ,diocese founded ,first bishop ,date of suppression ,aix ,nice1 ,avignon1 ,ajaccio1 and ,digne were allied therewith in #ahjb1 and ,marseilles and ,alger in #ahbb4 7,archbishopric7 ,first century 787 ,st4 ,maxim 787 ,antibes ,transferred to ,grasse ,apt ,first century 787 ,st4 ,auspice #agij ,grasse 7,jurisdiction over ,antibes47 ,gap ,fifth century ,st4 ,dmtrius ,riez ,fifth century ,st4 ,prosper #agij ,frjus ,fourth century ,acceptus ,sisteron ,fifth century ,chrysaphius ,province d',albi ,albi ,fourth century ,st4 ,clair ,bishopric 7,archbishopric7 #acag 787 ,anthime ,castres #fdg as a ,benedictine ,robert1 the first #agij ,abbey4 ,abbot #acag as a ,bishopric ,mende ,third century at ,st4 ,svrein ,civitas ,gabalorum4 and ,genialis ,restablished here in the year #ajjj ,cahors ,fourth century ,st4 ,genulphe ,rodez ,fifth century ,st4 ,amand ,arisitum ,sixth century detached ,dothaire ,rejoined from the diocese of to ,rodez ,rodez #fgj ,vabres ,benedictine #agij ,abbey1 #hfb4 ,bishopric1 #acag ,province d',arles ,arles ,first century ,st4 ,trophime #agij 7,archbishopric7 ,marseilles ,first century ,st4 ,lazare ,st4 ,paul-,trois ,second century ,st4 ,restuit #agij ,chteaux1 or ,tricastin ,toulon ,fifth century ,honor #agij ,orange ,fifth century ,st4 ,luce #agij ,province d',auch ,eauze ,third century ,st4 ,paterne #gbj 7,archbishopric7 ,auch ,fourth century ,citerius 7,bishopric then ,archbishopric7 ,dax ,third century ,st4 ,vincent #ahjb ,lectoure ,sixth century ,heuterius #agij ,comminges ,sixth century ,suavis #agij ,conserans ,fifth century ,st4 ,valre #agij ,aire ,fifth century ,marcel ,bazas ,sixth century ,sextilius 787 ,tarbes ,sixth century ,st4 ,justin ,oloron ,sixth century ,gratus #agij ,lescar ,fifth century ,st4 ,julien #agij ,bayonne ,ninth century ,arsias ,rocha ,province d',avignon ,avignon ,fourth century ,st4 ,ruf 7,bishopric1 becoming ,archbishopric in fifteenth century7 ,carpentras ,third century ,st4 ,valentin #agij ,vaison ,fourth century ,st4 ,aubin #agij ,cavaillon ,fifth century ,st4 ,genialis #agij ,province de ,bordeaux ,bordeaux 7,bishopric7 ,third century 7,archbishopric7 ,fourth century ,oriental ,agen ,fourth century ,st4 ,phrade ,condom ,raimond de 7,ancient ,galard abbey--foundation date unknown7 ,bishopric7 ,fourteenth century ,angoulme ,third century ,st4 ,ansome ,saintes ,third century ,st4 ,eutrope #agic ,poitiers ,third century ,st4 ,nectaire ,maillezais ,fourteenth century ,geoffrey ,i4 7afterward at ,la ,rochelle7 ,luon #acag ,pierre de ,la 7,seventh-century ,veyrie abbey7 ,prigueux ,second century ,st4 ,front ,sarlat #acag ,raimond de 7,eighth-century ,roquecorne ,benedictine abbey7 ,province de ,bourges ,bourges ,third century ,st4 ,ursin 7,archbishopric7 ,clermont-,ferrand ,third century ,st4 ,austremoine ,st4 ,flour #acah ,raimond de 7,ancient priory7 ,vehens ,limoges ,third century ,st4 ,martial ,tulle #acag ,arnaud de 7,seventh-century ,saint-,astier ,benedictine abbey7 ,le ,puy ,third century ,st4 ,georges ,province d',embrun ,embrun 7,archbishopric7 ,fourth century ,st4 ,marcellin #agic ,digne ,fourth century ,st4 ,domnin ,antibes ,fourth century ,st4 ,armentaire 7afterward at ,grasse7 ,grasse ,raimond de #agij ,villeneuve 7#abde7 ,vence ,fourth century ,eusbe #agij ,glandve ,fifth century ,fraterne #agij ,senez ,fifth century ,ursus #agij ,nice ,fourth century ,amantius 7formerly at ,cemenelium7 ,province de ,lyon ,lyon ,the ,archbishop of ,lyon was ,primate of ,gaul4 7,archbishopric7 ,second century ,st4 ,pothin ,autun ,third century ,st4 ,amateur ,mcon ,sixth century ,placide #agij ,chalon-sur-,sane ,fifth century ,paul #agij ,langres ,third century ,st4 ,just ,dijon ,bishopric in #agca ,jean ,bonhier 7,fourth-century abbey7 ,saint ,claude ,bishopric in #agdb ,joseph de 7,fifth-century ,madet abbey7 ,province de ,narbonne ,narbonne ,third century ,st4 ,paul #ahjb 7,archbishopric7 ,saint-,pons-de- #acah ,pierre ,roger #agij ,tomires7,tenth- century abbey7 ,alet #acah ,barthlmy #agij 7,ninth-century abbey7 ,bziers ,fourth century ,st4 ,aphrodise #agjb ,nmes ,fourth century ,st4 ,felix ,alais #afid ,chevalier de #agij ,saulx ,lodve ,fourth century 787 ,st4 ,flour #agij ,uzs ,fifth century ,constance #agij ,agde ,fifth century ,st4 ,vnuste #agij ,maguelonne ,sixth century ,beotius 7afterward at ,montpellier7 ,carcassonne ,sixth century ,st4 ,hilaire ,elne ,sixth century ,domnus 7afterward at ,perpignan7 ,province de ,tarentaise ,tarentaise ,fifth century ,st4 ,jacques 7,archbishopric7 ,sion ,fourth century ,st4 ,thodule ,aoste ,fourth century ,st4 ,eustache ,chambry #aghj ,michel ,conseil ,province de ,toulouse ,toulouse 7,bishopric7 ,third century ,st4 ,saturnin 7,archbishopric7 #acbg ,pamiers #abig ,bernard ,saisset 7,eleventh-century abbey7 ,rieux #acag ,guillaume de ,brutia ,montauban #acag ,bertrand du ,puy 7,ancient abbey7 ,mirepoix #acah ,raimond #agij ,athone ,saint-,papoul #acag ,bernard de la #agij ,tour ,lombs #acbh ,roger de #agij 7,tenth-century ,commminges abbey7 ,lavaur #acag ,roger d',armagnac #agij ,province de ,vienne ,vienne ,second century ,st4 ,crescent #agij 7,archbishopric7 ,grenoble ,third century ,domninus ,genve 7,switz47 ,fourth century ,diogne #ahja ,annency #ahbb ,claude de ,thiollaz ,valence ,fourth century ,emelien ,di ,third century ,saint ,mars ,viviers ,fifth century ,saint ,janvier #agij ,st4 ,jean de ,fifth century ,lucien ,maurienne ,,iii ,the ,classification of ,architectural ,styles in ,france according to ,de ,caumont's ,abcdaire d',architecture ,religieuse4 ,architecture ,primordiale ,from the ,vth to the ,xth centuries4 ,romaine ,secondaire ,from the end of the ,xth century to the beginning of the ,x,i,ith ,tertiaire or transition ,x,i,ith century ,architecture ,primitive ,x,i,i,ith century ,ogivale ,secondaire ,x,i,vth century ,tertiaire ,x,vth and the first part of the ,x,v,ith century ,illustration ,,iv ,a ,chronology of ,architectural ,styles in ,france ,following more or less upon the lines of ,de ,caumont's territorial and chronological divisions of architectural style in ,france1 the various species and periods are thus further described and defined3 ,the ,merovingian period1 commencing about #dhj2 ,carlovingian1 #gea2 ,romanesque or ,capetian period1 #ihg2 ,transitional1 #aajj 7extending in the south of ,france and on the ,rhine till #acjj72 early ,french ,gothic or ,pointed 7,gothique lancettes71 mid-twelfth to mid-thirteenth centuries2 decorated ,french ,gothic 7,gothique rayonnant71 from the mid-thirteenth to mid-fifteenth centuries1 and even in some districts as late as the last decade of the fifteenth century2 ,flamboyant 7,gothique flamboyant71 early fifteenth to early sixteenth2 ,renaissance1 dating at least from #adie1 which gave rise subsequently to the style ,louis ,,xii4 and style ,franois ,i4 ,with the reign of ,henri ,,ii41 the change to the ,italian style was complete1 and its place1 such as it was1 definitely assured4 ,french writers1 it may be observed1 at least those of a former generation and before1 often carry the reference to the style de la ,renaissance to a much later period1 even including the neo-classical atrocities of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries4 ,bizarre or baroque details1 or the style perruque1 had little place on ,french soil1 and the later exaggerations of the rococo1 the styles ,pompadour and ,dubarri1 had little if anything to do with church-building1 and are relevant merely insomuch as they indicate the mannerisms of a period when great churches1 if they were built at all1 were constructed with somewhat of a leaning toward their baseness1 if not actually favouring their eccentricities4 ,v ,illustration3 ,neo-,basilica-,,ix ,cent4 ,lombard ,cruciform ,,xi ,century ,the ,romanesque ,of ,southern ,france in the ,,xi ,century ,norman ,cruciform ,plan ,,xi ,century ,leading forms of early cathedral constructions ,,vi ,the disposition of the parts of a tenth-century church1 as defined by ,viollet-le-,duc ,of this class are many monastic churches1 as will be evinced by the inclusion of a cloister in the diagram plan4 ,many of these were subsequently made use of1 as the church and the cloisters1 where they had not suffered the stress of time1 were of course retained4 ,st4 ,bertrand de ,comminges is a notable example among the smaller structures4 ,in the basilica form of ground-plan1 which obtained to a modified extent1 the transepts were often lacking1 or at least only suggested4 ,subsequently they were added in many cases1 but the tenth-century church pur sang was mainly a parallelogram-like structure1 with1 of course1 an apsidal termination4 ,illustration3 ,plan ,x ,century ,church ,a ,the choir ,b ,the exedra1 meaning literally a niche or throne--in this instance for the occupancy of the bishop1 abbot1 or prior--apart from the main edifice ,c ,the high-altar ,d ,secondary or specially dedicated altars ,e ,the transepts1 which in later centuries expanded and lengthened ,g ,the nave proper1 down which was reserved a free passage separating the men from the women ,h ,the aisles ,i ,the portico or porch which precedes the nave 7i4 e41 the narthen of the primitive basilica71 where the pilgrims who were temporarily forbidden to enter were allowed to wait ,k ,a separate portal or doorway to cloisters ,l ,the cloister ,m ,the towers2 often placed at the junction of transept and nave1 instead of the later position1 flanking the west faade ,n ,the baptismal font2 usually in the central nave1 but often in the aisle ,o ,entrance to the crypt or confessional1 where were usually preserved the reliques of the saint to whom the church was erected ,p ,the tribune1 in a later day often surrounded by a screen or jub ,,vii ,a brief definitive gazetteer of the natural and geological divisions included in the ancient provinces and present-day departments of southern ,france1 together with the local names by which the pays et pagi are commonly known ,gvaudan ,in the ,cevennes1 a region of forests and mountains ,velay ,a region of plateaux with visible lava tracks ,lyonnais-,beaujolais ,the mountain ranges which rise to the westward of ,lyons ,morvan ,an isolated group of porphyrous and granite elevations ,haute-,auvergne ,the mountain range of ,cantal ,basse-,auvergne ,the mountain chains of ,mont ,dore and des ,dmes ,limousin ,a land of plateaux1 ravines1 and granite ,agenais ,rocky and mountainous1 but with its valleys among the richest in all ,france ,haut-,quercy ,a rolling plain1 but with little fertility ,bas-,quercy ,the plains of the ,garonne1 the ,tarn1 and the ,avyron ,armagnac ,an extensive range of petites montagnes running in various directions ,landes ,a desert of sand1 forests1 and inlets of the sea ,barn ,a country furrowed by the ramifications of the range of the ,pyrenees ,basse-,navarre ,a ,basque country situated on the northern slope of the ,pyrenees ,bigorre ,the plain of ,tortes and its neighbouring valleys ,savoie ,a region comprising a great number of valleys made by the ramifying ranges of the ,alps4 ,the principal valleys being those of ,faucigny1 the ,tarentaise1 and the ,maurienne ,bourbonnais ,a country of hills and valleys which1 as to general limits1 corresponds with the ,department of the ,allier ,nivernais ,an undulating region between the ,loire and the ,morvan ,berry ,a fertile plain1 slightly elevated1 to the northward of ,limousin ,sologne ,an arid plain separated by the valleys of the ,cher and the ,indre ,gatinais ,a barren country northeast of ,sologne ,saintonge ,slightly mountainous and covered with vineyards--also in parts partaking of the characteristics of the ,landes ,angoumois ,a hilly country covered with a growth of vines ,prigord ,an ensemble of diverse regions1 often hilly1 but covered with a luxuriant forest growth ,bordelais 7,comprising ,blayais1 ,fronsadais1 ,libournais1 ,entre-deux-mers1 ,mdoc1 and ,bazadais47 ,the vine-lands of the ,garonne1 ,la ,gironde1 and ,la ,dordogne ,dauphin ,another land of mountains and valleys4 ,it is crossed by numbers of ranges and distinct peaks4 ,the principal subdivisions are ,viennois1 ,royonnais ,vercors1 ,trives1 ,dvoluy1 ,oisons1 ,graisivaudan1 ,chartreuse1 ,queyras ,valgodemar1 ,champsaur4 ,provence ,a region of fertile plains dominated by volcanic rocks and mountains4 ,it contains also the great pebbly plain in the extreme southwest known as the ,crau ,camargue ,the region of the ,rhne delta ,languedoc ,properly the belt of plains situated between the foot of the ,cevennes and the borders of the ,mediterranean ,rousillon ,the region between the peaks of the ,corbire and the ,albre mountain chain4 ,the population was originally pure ,catalan ,lauragais ,a stony plateau with red earth deposited in former times by the glaciers of the ,pyrenees ,albigeois ,a rolling and fertile country ,toulousain ,a plain well watered by the ,garonne and the ,arige ,comminges ,the lofty ,pyrenean valleys of the ,garonne basin ,,viii ,illustration3 ,sketch map of the bishoprics and archbishoprics of the south of ,france at the present day ,,ix ,dimensions and ,chronology ,,cathedrale ,d',,agde ,bishopric founded1 ,vth century ,bishopric suppressed1 #agij ,primitive church consecrated1 ,v,i,ith century ,main body of present cathedral1 ,x,ith to ,x,i,ith centuries ,,st4 ,,caprias ,d',,agen ,illustration ,former cathedral of ,st4 ,etienne1 destroyed at the ,revolution1 #agij ,apse and transepts of ,st4 ,caprias1 ,x,ith century ,width of nave1 #ee feet ,,st4 ,,jean ,,baptiste ,d',,aire ,cathedral begun1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,,st4 ,,saveur ,d',,aix ,illustration ,eglise ,st4 ,jean de ,malte1 ,x,i,vth century ,remains of a former ,st4 ,saveur's1 ,x,ith century ,choir1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,choir elaborated1 ,x,i,vth century ,south aisle of nave1 ,x,i,vth century ,tower1 ,x,i,vth century ,carved doors1 #aejc ,episcopal palace1 #aeab ,north aisle of nave1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,baptistre1 ,v,ith century ,,st4 ,,jean ,d',,alais ,a bishopric only from #afid to #agij ,remains of a ,x,i,ith century church ,,ste4 ,,cecile ,d',,albi ,illustration ,begun1 #abgg ,finished1 #aeab ,south porch1 #achj-adjj ,tower completed1 #adge ,choir-screen1 #adge-aeab ,wall paintings1 ,x,vth to ,x,v,ith centuries ,organ1 ,x,v,i,i,ith century ,choir stalls1 #abj in number ,height of tower1 #bef feet ,length1 #cjj 7#cbj87 feet ,width of nave1 #hh feet ,height of nave1 #ih feet ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,alet ,primitive cathedral1 ,i,xth century 787 ,rebuilt1 ,x,ith century ,eglise ,st4 ,andr1 ,x,i,vth to ,x,vth centuries ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,angouleme ,illustration ,city ravaged by ,coligny1 ,x,v,ith century ,cathedral rebuilt from foundations of primitive church1 #aabj ,western dome1 ,x,i,ith century ,central and other domes1 latter part of ,x,i,ith century ,episcopal palace restored1 ,x,i,xth century ,general restoration of cathedral1 after the depredations of ,coligny1 #afbh ,height of tower1 #aig feet ,,st4 ,,pierre ,d',,annecy ,christianity first founded here1 ,i,vth century ,cathedral dates from ,x,i,vth century ,tomb of ,st4 ,franois de ,sales1 #afbb ,tomb of ,jeanne de ,chantal1 #afda ,episcopal palace1 #aghd ,,st4 ,,castor ,d',,apt ,gallo-,romain sarcophagus1 ,vth century ,tomb of ,ducs de ,sabron1 ,x,i,ith century ,chapelle de ,ste4 ,anne1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,,st4 ,,trophime ,d',,arles ,illustration ,primitive church on same site1 #fjf ,foundations of present cathedral laid1 #aaeb ,nave completed1 #abjj ,choir and chapels1 #adbc-adcj ,cloisters1 east side1 #abba ,cloisters1 west side1 #abej ,cloisters1 north side1 #achj ,length1 #bdj feet ,width1 #ij feet ,height1 #fj feet ,height of clocher1 #acg feet ,,ste4 ,,marie ,d',,auch ,ancient altar1 ,i,vth century ,first cathedral built by ,taurin ,,ii41 #hde ,another 7larger7 by ,st4 ,austinde1 #ajdh ,present cathedral consecrated1 #aedh ,additions made and coloured glass added1 #aeig ,west front1 in part1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,towers1 #afej-agjj ,episcopal palace1 ,x,i,vth century ,length1 #cdg feet ,height to vaulting1 #gd feet ,,notre ,,dame ,,des ,,doms ,d',,avignon ,illustration ,territory of ,avignon acquired by the ,popes from ,joanna of ,naples1 #acjj ,popes reigned at ,avignon1 #acje-acgj ,avignon formally ceded to ,france by ,treaty of ,tolentino1 #agig ,palais des ,papes begun1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,pope ,gregory left ,avignon for ,rome1 #acgf ,cathedral dates chiefly from ,x,i,ith century ,nave chapels1 ,x,i,vth century ,frescoes in portal1 ,x,i,vth century ,height of walls of papal palace1 #ij feet tower #aej feet ,length of cathedral1 #bjj 787 feet ,width of cathedral1 #ej 787 feet ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,bayonne ,foundations1 #aadj ,choir and apse1 ,x,i,ith century ,destroyed by fire1 #abac ,choir rebuilt1 #abae ,completed and restored1 ,x,v,ith century ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,bazas ,foundations date from ,xth century ,walls1 etc41 #abcc ,west front1 ,x,v,ith century ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,belley ,gothic portion of cathedral1 ,x,vth century ,,st4 ,,nazaire ,,de ,,beziers ,primitive church damaged by fire1 #abji ,transepts1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,towers1 ,x,i,vth century ,apside and nave1 ,x,i,vth century ,glass and grilles1 ,x,i,vth century ,cloister1 ,x,i,vth century ,height of clocher1 #aea feet ,,st4 ,,andre ,,de ,,bordeaux ,three cathedral churches here before the ,x,ith century ,romanesque structure1 ,x,ith century ,present cathedral dates from #abeb ,north transept portal1 ,x,i,vth century ,noailles monument1 #affb ,length1 #dej feet ,width of nave1 #fe feet ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,bourg ,main body dates from ,x,vth to ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,choir and apse1 ,x,vth to ,x,v,ith centuries ,choir stalls1 ,x,v,ith century ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,cahors ,illustration ,bishopric founded1 ,i,vth century ,cathedral consecrated1 #aaai ,cupola decorations1 #abhj-acbd ,choir chapels1 ,x,vth century ,choir1 #abhe ,tomb of ,bishop ,solminiac1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,choir paintings1 #acae ,cloister1 ,x,i,ith to ,x,vth century ,cupolas of nave1 #ej feet in diameter ,cupolas of choir1 #di feet in height ,height from pavement to cupolas of choir1 #hb feet ,height from pavement to cupolas of nave1 #aie feet ,portal and western towers1 ,x,i,vth century ,,st4 ,,nazaire ,,de ,,carcassonne ,present-day cathedral1 ,st4 ,michel1 in lower town1 #ajhc ,restored by ,viollet-le-,duc1 #ahdi ,visigoth foundation walls of old ,cit1 ,vth to ,v,i,i,ith centuries ,cit besieged by the ,black ,prince1 #aecf ,chteau of ,cit and postern gate1 ,x,ith and ,x,i,ith centuries ,outer fortifications with circular towers of the time of ,st4 ,louis1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,length inside the inner walls1 #a_/d mile ,length inside the outer walls1 #a mile ,saracens occupied the ,cit1 #ghc ,routed by ,pepin le ,bref1 #gei ,viscountal dynasty of ,trencavels1 #ajij ,besieged by ,simon de ,montfort1 #abaj ,romanesque nave of ,st4 ,nazaire1 #ajif ,choir and transepts1 ,x,i,i,ith and ,x,i,vth centuries ,remains of ,simon de ,montfort buried here 7since removed71 #abah ,tomb of ,bishop ,radulph1 #abff ,statues in choir1 ,x,i,vth century ,high-altar1 #aebb ,crypt1 ,x,ith century ,sacristy1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,the ,pont ,vieux1 ,x,i,ith and ,x,i,i,ith centuries ,,st4 ,,siffrein ,,de ,,carpentras ,a ,roman colony under ,augustus1 ,ist century ,st4 ,siffrein1 patron of the cathedral1 died1 ,x,v,ith century ,edifice mainly of the ,x,v,ith century ,paintings in nave1 ,x,v,i,i,ith and ,x,i,xth centuries ,tomb of ,bishop ,buti1 #agaj ,episcopal palace built1 #afdj ,arc de ,triomphe1 ,ist or ,i,id century ,porte d',orange1 ,x,i,vth century ,,st4 ,,benoit ,,de ,,castres ,cathedral dates mainly from ,x,v,i,ith century ,,st4 ,,veran ,,de ,,cavaillon ,illustration ,cathedral consecrated by ,st4 ,veran1 in person1 #abei ,tomb of ,bishop ,jean de ,sade1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,chalons-,,sur-,,saone ,cathedral completed1 ,x,v,ith century ,rebuilt1 after a disastrous fire1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,remains of early nave1 dating from ,x,i,i,ith century ,bishopric founded1 ,vth century ,height of nave1 #ij feet ,length of nave1 #cej feet ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,chambery ,illustration ,first bishop1 ,michel ,conseil1 #aghj ,main body of cathedral dates from ,x,i,vth century ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,clermont-,,ferrand ,illustration ,choir and nave1 #abdh-abfe ,urban ,,ii4 preached the ,crusades here1 #ajie ,sanctuary completed1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,nave completed1 except faade1 ,x,i,vth century ,rose windows1 ,x,vth century ,western towers and portal1 ,x,i,xth century ,height of towers1 #cdj feet ,height of nave1 #ajj feet ,,st4 ,,bertrand ,,de ,,comminges ,illustration ,first monastery here1 ,v,ith century ,present cathedral mainly ,x,i,ith to ,x,i,vth centuries ,first bishop1 ,suavis1 ,v,ith century ,monument to ,bishop ,hugh de ,castellane1 ,x,i,vth century ,length1 #baj feet 787 ,width1 #ee feet 787 ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,dax ,main fabric1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,reconstructed1 ,x,v,i,i,ith century ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,die ,a bishopric in #abhe1 and from #afgb until #ahja ,porch1 ,x,ith century ,romanesque fragments in ,porte ,rouge1 ,x,ith century ,restored and rebuilt1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,length of nave1 #bgj feet ,width of nave1 #gf feet ,,cathedrale ,d',,eauze ,town destroyed1 ,xth century ,gothic church 7not1 however1 the former cathedral71 ,x,vth century ,,ste4 ,,eulalie ,d',,elne ,cathedral rebuilt from a former structure1 ,x,vth century ,cloister1 ,x,vth century ,,notre ,,dame ,d',,embrun ,north porch and peristyle1 ,x,i,ith century ,romanesque tower rebuilt1 ,x,i,vth century ,the ,tour ,brune ,x,ith century ,high-altar1 ,x,v,i,i,ith century ,painted triptych1 #aeah ,coloured glass1 ,x,vth century ,organ and gallery1 ,x,v,ith century ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,grenoble ,foundations of choir1 ,x,ith century ,tabernacle1 ,x,vth century ,tomb of ,abb ,chiss1 #adjg ,former episcopal palace1 ,x,ith century ,present episcopal palace1 on same site1 ,x,vth century ,eglise ,st ,andr1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,la ,grande ,chartreuse1 founded by ,st4 ,bruno1 #ajhd ,la ,grande ,chartreuse1 enlarged1 ,x,v,ith to ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,monks expelled1 #ahaf and #aijb ,,st4 ,,louis ,,de ,,la ,,rochelle ,city besieged unsuccessfully1 #aegc ,city besieged and fell1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,huguenots held the city from #aeeg to #afbi ,present cathedral dates from #agce ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,le ,,puy ,illustration ,first bishop1 ,st4 ,georges1 ,i,i,id century ,primitive cathedral1 ,vth century ,west faade of present edifice1 ,x,i,ith century ,choir1 ,xth century ,virgin of ,le ,puy1 #ej feet in height ,aguille de ,st4 ,michel1 #bej feet in height1 #ej feet in circumference at top1 #ejj feet at base ,,st4 ,,etienne ,,de ,,limoges ,illustration ,nave1 ,x,vth and ,x,v,ith centuries ,romanesque portion of nave1 ,x,ith century ,lower portion of tower1 ,x,ith century ,clocher1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,choir1 ,x,i,i,ith century ,transepts1 ,x,i,vth and ,x,vth centuries ,choir-screen1 #aedc ,coloured glass1 ,x,vth and ,x,i,xth centuries ,tomb of ,bishop ,brun1 #acdi2 de la ,porte1 #acbe2 ,langeac1 #aeda ,crypt1 ,x,ith century ,height of clocher1 #bdj feet ,enamels of reredos1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,,st4 ,,fulcran ,,de ,,lodeve ,city converted to ,christianity1 #cbc ,earliest portion of cathedral1 ,xth century ,main portion of fabric1 ,x,i,ith century ,cathedral completed1 ,x,v,ith century ,tomb of ,bishop de la ,panse1 #afeh ,height of nave1 #hj feet ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,lucon ,ancient abbey1 ,v,i,ith century ,first bishop appointed1 #acag ,richelieu bishop here1 #afaf-afbd ,main fabric of cathedral dates from ,x,i,ith to ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,fabric restored1 #ahec ,cloister of episcopal palace1 ,x,vth century ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,lyon ,illustration ,bridge across ,sane1 ,xth century ,earliest portions of cathedral1 #aahj ,concile gnrale of the ,church held at ,lyons1 #abde and #abgd ,portail1 ,x,vth century ,glass of choir1 ,x,i,i,ith and ,x,i,vth centuries ,great bourdon1 #affb ,weight of great bourdon1 #aj1jjj kilos ,chapelle des ,bourbons1 ,x,vth century ,astronomical clock1 ,x,v,ith and ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,,ste4 ,,marie ,,majeure ,,de ,,marseilles ,first bishop1 ,st4 ,lasare1 ,ist century ,ancient cathedral built upon the ruins of a temple to ,diana1 ,x,ith century ,new cathedral begun1 #aheb ,practically completed1 #ahic ,length1 #dfj feet ,height of central dome1 #aig feet ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,maurienne ,relique of ,st4 ,jean ,baptiste1 first brought here in ,v,ith century ,cloister1 #adeb ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,mende ,first bishop1 ,xth century ,main fabric of cathedral1 ,x,i,vth century ,restoration1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,towers1 ,x,v,ith century ,organ-case1 #afdj ,height of western towers1 #bjc and #bgf feet ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,montpellier ,bishopric removed here from ,maguelonne1 #aecf ,pope ,urban ,v4 consecrated present cathedral in a former ,benedictine abbey1 #acfd ,length of nave1 #aha feet ,width of nave1 #di feet ,length of choir1 #dc feet ,width of choir1 #ci feet ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,moulins ,towers and west front1 ,x,i,xth century ,choir and nave1 #adfe-aejg ,coloured glass1 ,x,vth and ,x,v,ith centuries ,choir restoration completed1 #ahhe ,sepulchre1 ,x,v,ith century ,height of western spires1 #cab feet ,chteau of ,ducs de ,bourbon 7facing the cathedral7 ,x,i,vth century ,,st4 ,,just ,,de ,,narbonne ,illustration ,choir begun1 #abgb-accj ,choir rebuilt1 ,x,v,i,i,ith century ,remains of cloister1 ,x,i,vth and ,x,vth century ,towers1 ,x,vth century ,tombs of bishops1 ,x,i,vth to ,x,v,ith centuries ,organ buffet1 #agda ,height of choir vault1 #abj 7#abg87 feet ,,st4 ,,castor ,,de ,,nimes ,st4 ,felix the first bishop1 ,i,vth century ,st4 ,castor as bishop1 #ajcj ,cathedral damaged by wars of ,x,v,ith and ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,length of grande axe of ,arena1 #dbj feet ,capacity of ,arena1 #hj1jjj persons ,,ste4 ,,marie ,d',,oloron ,earliest portions1 ,x,ith century ,completed1 ,x,vth century ,length of nave1 #aej feet ,width of nave1 #ajf feet ,,notre ,,dame ,d',,orange ,illustration ,oldest portions1 #ajhe ,nave1 #ajhe-aabf ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,pamiers ,clocher1 ,x,i,vth century ,nave rebuilt1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,ancient ,abbey of ,st4 ,antoine1 ,x,ith century ,first bishop1 ,bernard ,saisset1 #abig ,,st4 ,,front ,,de ,,perigueux ,illustration ,primitive monastery founded1 ,v,ith century ,cathedral dates from #ihd-ajdg ,cathedral rebuilt1 ,x,i,ith century ,cathedral restored1 ,x,i,xth century ,pulpit in carved wood1 ,x,v,i,ith ,confessionals1 ,xth or ,x,ith century ,paintings in vaulting1 ,x,ith century ,length of nave1 #aig feet ,height of pillars of nave1 #dd feet ,height of cupola of clocher1 #bag feet ,height of great arches in interior1 #fe feet ,,st4 ,,jean ,,de ,,perpignan ,illustration ,tower1 ,x,i,vth century ,rtable1 ,,xiv century ,altar-screen1 ,x,i,vth century ,bishop's tomb1 #afie ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,poitiers ,illustration ,eglise ,st4 ,hilaire1 ,xth and ,x,ith centuries ,baptistre1 ,i,vth to ,x,i,ith centuries ,st4 ,radegonde1 ,x,ith and ,x,i,ith centuries ,cathedral begun1 #aafb ,high-altar dedicated1 #aaii ,choir completed1 #abej ,western doorway1 ,x,vth century ,coloured glass1 ,x,i,i,ith and ,x,v,i,i,ith centuries ,illustration ,,notre ,,dame ,,de ,,rodez ,illustration ,dates chiefly from #abge ,choir1 ,x,i,vth century ,nave1 ,x,vth century ,cross-vaults1 tribune1 sacristy door1 and faade1 from about #aece ,clture of choir designed by ,cusset ,terrace to episcopal palace designed by ,philandrier1 #aeej ,episcopal palace itself dates1 in the main1 from ,x,v,i,ith century ,rose window of faade is the most notable in ,france south of the ,loire1 excepting ,poitiers ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,saintes ,eglise ,st4 ,eutrope1 #ajha-ajif ,primitive cathedral1 #aaag ,cathedral rebuilt1 #aehe ,first two bays of transept1 ,x,i,ith century ,nave completed1 ,x,vth century ,vaulting of choir and nave1 ,x,vth to ,x,v,i,ith centuries ,height of flamboyant tower 7,x,i,vth century71 #bcf feet ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,sarlat ,benedictine abbey dates from ,v,i,i,ith century ,cathedral mainly of ,x,ith and ,x,i,ith centuries ,sepulchral chapel1 ,x,i,ith century ,,cathedrale ,,de ,,sion ,first bishop1 ,st4 ,thodule1 ,i,vth century ,choir of ,eglise ,ste4 ,catherine1 ,xth or ,x,ith century ,bishop of ,sion sent as papal legate to ,winchester1 #ajgj ,main body of cathedral1 ,x,vth century ,,st4 ,,pierre ,,de ,,st4 ,,claude ,abbey founded by ,st4 ,claude1 ,vth century ,bishopric founded by ,jos4 de ,madet1 #agdb ,bishopric suppressed1 #agij ,bishopric revived again1 #ahba ,main fabric of cathedral1 ,x,i,vth century ,cathedral restored1 ,x,v,i,i,ith century ,length1 #bjj feet 7approx47 ,width1 #he feet ,height1 #he feet ,,st4 ,,odilon ,,de ,,st4 ,,flour ,bishopric founded1 #acah ,present cathedral begun1 #acge dedicated1 #adif completed1 #aeef ,episcopal palace1 #ahjj ,chteau de ,st4 ,flour1 #ajjj ,,st4 ,,lisier ,,or ,,couserans ,former cathedral1 ,x,i,ith and ,x,i,i,ith centuries ,bishop's palace1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,,ste4 ,,marie ,,majeure ,,de ,,toulon ,main body of fabric1 ,x,ith and ,x,i,ith centuries ,faade1 ,x,v,i,ith century ,length of 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