STRASBURG CATHEDRAL. STRASBURG is the capital of that portion of the province of Alsace, which is known as the department of the Lower Rhine. It is now the frontier town of France, although a recent tourist, Mr. Inglis, describes it as " entirely German." The number of inhabitants is stated at 50,000.

The town is irregularly built, and what travellers describe as old-fashioned and heavylooking; but its Cathedral is one of the finest in Europe. The choir was built by Charlemagne, and escaped the mischief which happened to the church in the twelfth century. The nave was rebuilt in the same century; and the belfry and steeple were begun in 1229, but only finished within 200 years of that date. The clock is one of the most

celebrated specimens of early clock-making, and will be found engraved and described in vol. xiii. of The Mirror, p.p. 210 and 262.†

We premise these facts by way of introduction to the following very pleasant contribution by a clever hand.

STRASBURG CATHEDRAL.

(By the Author of the Sketch of Antwerp Cathedral in vol. xiv. of The Mirror.)

A late reference in The Mirror to my sketch of Antwerp Cathedral, induces me to attempt a description of its lofty rival, Strasburg, to which I have since made a hasty visit, in satisfaction of a long-cherished

wish to behold it also.

I saw nothing of the spire during my journey from Freyburg to the little town of Kehl, on the German side of the Rhine, about three miles from Strasburg, (the chief part indeed having been performed after sunset, although the extensive plain I was crossing was brilliantly illuminated by a full September moon;) neither was it visible in the morning from the window of the hotel where I slept.

Alsace was, before the Revolution, a province of France, bounded on the east by the Rhine, on the south by Switzerland, ou the west by Lorraine, and on the north by the Palatinate of the Rhine. It was formerly a part of Germany.

Mr. Inglis observes: "There is a curious circumstance connected with the clock in Strasburg Cathedral,-it is of very complicated, and delicate workmanship, and the artisan who contrived, and made it, becoming blind before he had terminated his labour, it became a question of some difficulty, and of much importance, how the work was to be completed: the public authorities engaged other mechanics; but they being ignorant of the design upon which the whole was meant to be constructed, were unable to proceed, and the blind artisan anxious to reap all the honour himself,-not willing that others should have the credit of finishing that which their genius could not have enabled them to begin, refused to communicate any information; but offered to complete the work, blind as he was; and this very wonderful, and ingenious piece of mechanism, now remains not only a monument of the genius of the maker, but a curious illustration of the power of

habit, as well as of the acuteness communicated to one sense, by the deprivation of another.-The Tyrol, vol. i. p. 21-2.

A fellow-traveller having offered me a seat in his Voiture, we started at 7 o'clock, and turning down the left-hand road through an avenue of trees, we looked over the flats of Alsace on the other side of the Rhine; and, rising above a belt of foliage, by which the city itself was still concealed, the solitary, pyramidical spire of the Cathedral, the highest in Europe, burst upon our view. Its dark red form seemed set in the grey sky,—its outline distinctly marked, although not prominently thrown out by extraneous light and shade; but there was something suitable in its placid, calm aspect—a landmark of ages, unmoved by the sanguinary quarrels of which that border country had often been made the scene by our strange race.

It was but a short distance to the bank of the Rhine, where we paid the German toll, and crossed the long bridge of boats to the French toll-house, where another demand was settled. We then soon came to the Gens d'armerie station, protecting the entrance to "la belle France." We had next to cross another branch of the Rhine, the river being here divided into two streams by a considerable island; and then reached the Douane, where the frontier duties are collected. Not knowing how long it might take before

my

foot. Observing a path slanting across the friend's luggage was passed, I set off on fields towards part of the city, I left the highroad, and had an agreeable walk through the verdant meadows, which reminded me of the Netherlands, the resemblance being increased by the ditches and grass-covered fortifications of the citadel, towards which I found my track directly led. Farther on I emerged into a more centrical part, where the river Ill, taking a circular sweep, almost insulates the portion of town within from that beyond its course; and the quays and buildings along its banks were on this calm day distinctly reflected, as on another sky, with something of a Venetian appearance. The Ill is traversed by several bridges, and opposite the one I crossed stood the Palais Royal, its back rising from the edge of the water, the side of the latter edifice stretched out and its front in the square of the Cathedral; from the corner I entered by, and the spire above the interposing roof. at the diagonal extremity appeared high

During my walk, I had been gradually acquiring a perception of the size and structure of the spire; but now that the architecture was developed in detail, I was struck with the richness of the workmanship, the vastness of its elevation, and the elegance of its proportions. It rises from the left of the west front, as we look towards it, and the is profusely canopied by clustering arches coup d'ail is very imposing. The centre door and ornamental tracery; and indeed the whole front is in a rich style, rising far

above the main roof of the building, and forming the shape of an upright rectangle, which includes the tower-like flanks, whose lofty pointed arches and buttresses are both light and splendid. Above one of these, and breaking the horizontal balconied line of the rectangle, springs a fine, octagonal, open tower upon elegantly formed arches, from the summit of which again the spire ascends by retreating pinnacles of open frieze-work, preserving a general pryramidic outline, its pointed termination being surmounted by a cross. The sublimity of the design will be felt, when it is considered, that its elevation is stated to be 525, or by some, 550 feet from the pavement, which would make it more than 150 feet higher than the top of St. Paul's, or about 50 above the noble steeple at Antwerp; but this last having been my "first love," I cannot say that the intense impression of soaring loftiness it made upon me has been supplanted by Strasburg. Besides, there is a moral grandeur in the Hispanico-gothic magnificence of Antwerp, and in the glorious productions of Rubens of which it is the "local habitation," more exciting to the imagination than the quieter beauties of the ancient Imperial city of Strasburg. The cathedral of the former, too, is better placed for effect, as fine views of it can be commanded from open places and squares close by, as well as other parts of the town; while the "place du dome" at the latter is nearly filled up by the edifice itself, and the short street opposite is so narrow that only part of the front is visible from the main street, which crosses the other perpendicularly.

Entering by the front gate, the combined effect of vast expanse and gloomy grandeur produce a lasting impression. The religious awe and veneration so naturally excited, when the eye wanders amongst massive pillars, branching arches and all the airy embellish ments of Gothic architecture, are here incalculably heightened by the perfect preservation of the old stained windows, every particle of light that enters being mellowed by those luscious colours, which all the resources of modern art have hitherto failed to rival in tint. The contemplation of such a scene gives a "rapture of repose," and I longed to be able to witness it when the sun should be casting warm gules" in checkered gleams upon the marble floor, the clustering columns and receding aisles!

t

Strasburg Cathedral (like that of Freyburg,* also a very beautiful structure,) is not built in the form of a cross, having no transepts, and the breadth being the same throughout. The body of the church thus presents a grand appearance from the entrance: the nave and aisles are of immense width, bound*Will our very competent Correspondent favour us with his description of this elegant structure?

ed by large painted windows, and separated by handsome pillars, above the branching tops of which inner rows of windows rise towards the roof also filled with painted glass; while, the choir having no intervening screen, the view is unbroken in long perspective to the high altar and east window above it. As I stood, a long procession of boys and girls, passing across in front of the choir, threw back the extreme distance, and their diminished appearance gave effect to the length of the nave, which was also dotted with kneeling and walking figures at irregular intervals. On one side projected the fine pulpit, supported by elegant sculpture, and enriched with gilt fantastic ornaments; and on the other, but nearer the entrance, in a lofty situation above the pillars, was placed the organ. Several chapels and altars round the aisles and choir, with the usual display of gaudy Madonnas, saints, and offerings, completed the coup d'ail. There were also many pictures of different degrees of merit, although none perhaps of such first-rate excellence as to haunt the memory for ever after. A piece of sculpture, however, glimmering in a dark crypt below the floor, at the back of the choir, is curious. The scanty light barely sufficed to exhibit the size of this subterranean chapel, but through a railing, which cut off a semicircular recess, I began dimly to discern a group of figures in white relief round the wall, and kneeling in front, a well-executed colossal statue of Christ, in vivid_contrast with the darkness behind. A few figures of apostles occupied the middle space, more prominently than the crowd of disciples beyond.

I now made a farther tour of the city, in which German seems generally spoken, although it has been part of France since the peace of Ryswyk in the reign of Louis XIV. Amongst other objects I saw the magnificent monument to Marshal Saxe, in the church of St. Thomas, and visited the Museum, which possesses several paintings worthy of attention. I then returned to the Cathedral in time for the usual high mass, and as I entered, the majestic tones of the organ and the voices of the singers resounded through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault."

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In a small apartinent, where I obtained a ticket of admittance for the tower, I was shown a model of the Cathedral, beautifully worked in silver. I then ascended, and the sound of the organ, softened by distance, vibrated up the spiral staircase, while occasionally the long-sustained tones of the bells struck louder upon the ear. The roof of the front forms an open platform, on one end of which the steeple rises majestically, and from which its exquisite architecture can be minutely admired. The lofty arches of its still perpendicular part here form a fine open

temple-like octagon, with fretted, overhanging roof, from above which the spire begins to taper, growing "small by degrees, and beautifully less." The day not being bright, I was agreeably surprised by the distinctness of the view, which is very extensive and interesting. The city itself, branching out on all sides, forms a clear nucleus to the wide-stretching circle with its dark, browntopped houses, and churches grey with age; and its jagged outline is fringed with zig-zag fortifications of green turf banks and silvery belts of water. Beyond, the eye ranges over a rich variety of meadows, woods, plains, villages, and hills. Looking westward over France are the Vosges mountains, the nearest range; and as you turn gradually towards the right, a vast plain is next stretched out to

the remote horizon; then a cluster of houses, formed by no less than three good-sized villages, enlivens the face of additional plains, which "immeasurably spread, seem lengthening" as you gaze: as you still turn, another diversity is produced by the windings of the Ill until its junction with the Rhine, some distance below the town, and the grand sweeps of this noble river are visible afar, interspersed with islands, and backed by the German mountains, which wear away into remoter ranges, until the background beyond Kehl, displays the bolder outlines, and pinecovered eminences of the Black Forest: part of the long range of the Jura follows; and, though partly mingled with clouds, I distinctly saw the mighty Alps themselves, floating upon the horizon at the distance of

a hundred miles, as soft in appearance as unsubstantial vapour, but solid as the foundations of the earth

Nature's bulwarks, built by Time 'Gainst Eternity to stand: Mountains terribly sublime! Breaking the extreme point of vision, prominently stood out the tall tower of Colmar, upwards of 40 miles distant, with a road running straight as an arrow towards it across the plain between-and thus terminated the panoramic circle!

We purpose concluding our Correspondent's paper in our next number, as it details in a pleasant manner the other lions of Strasburg

The annexed view of the Cathedral is from a print recently published in Germany; and the second Cut represents the open domework over the High Altar; in which is seen the depositary of the Host, the lowering and elevation of the same being effected by a contrivance connected with the circumvolant cherubim. This subject is from an old French print.

HIGHGATE. (To the Editor.)

Ir gave me sincere pleasure to find you had devoted one of your numbers to a description of my native town, (Highgate,) and to find that description so accurate, in what has come under your notice; but your informer, whom I verily believe is an inhabitant, would have given more satisfaction had he extended his researches into the antiquities of the place, and dwelt on its unparalleled rural beauties.

On the south side of Highgate may be seen one of the residences of Oliver Cromwell, an antique, red-brick building. The staircases and rooms abound with curious, antique workmanship on the former are full-length oaken, carved figures, of the generals of Cromwell's time, in military costume.

On the west side of the town, in the Grove, resides the venerable poet Coleridge. Leigh Hunt formerly resided in the village, and here he wrote some of his best pieces. Here formerly stood the mansion of Lord Southampton, which was frequently visited by the late Lord Byron.

We need not describe the rural beauties of the lane leading to Hampstead, through Caen Wood, the celebrated retreat of the late Earl of Mansfield, Chief Justice of the King's Bench; now in the occupation of the present earl. The scenery of the Park, and its avenues of lofty, overarching trees, amply repay the pedestrian who may turn from the high road, by the public pathway, across this beautiful domain. There may be also seen the Seven Ponds at " Hampstead ;" but they properly belong to Highgate, as they are nearer that village: they abound with fish.

Many fossil remains have recently been found near the archway in Hornsey-lane, some of which are in course of arrangement by geologists. F. P.

"HOCUS POCUS."

THE terms " Hocus Pocus" have been derived by some from the words used by the priest in the celebration of Mass, when the transubstantiation is believed to take place, "Hoc est Corpus," &c.; but a far more likely etythe notes to Pennie's Britain's Historical mology appears in the following extract from Drama: "Ochus Bochus was a magician and demon among the Saxons, dwelling in forests and caves; and we have his name and abode handed down to the present day in Somersetshire."- Note to the Dragon King.

Thus, it appears that modern conjurors, in making use of the words, are invoking the name of their powerful predecessor.

COLBOURNE.

VALUE OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN AMERICA.

THE President of Harwood University, in a report to the Board of Overseers, makes this statement :-"The library of the university now consists of forty thousand volumes. Nominally, it belongs to Harwood University; virtually, and to every beneficial purpose, it is the property of the commonwealth. Learned men, engaged in useful works in any part of the state, have free access to it, for any use connected with the objects of their pursuit. It cannot be questioned, that its destruction would sensibly affect the state of general intelligence, and the progress of science in the commonwealth, and create a want of facilities for the diffusion of knowledge, which the wealth and exertions of half a century could not effectually supply. Very many of the works it contains, if lost, could not be replaced: in some of them, the libraries of Europe are now deficient. the recent controversy between the United States and England, relative to the bounda ries of the state of Maine, maps and works highly important, and, in the opinion of the counsel of the United States, in some respects conclusive in favour of the right of the United States, were found in this library, which could not be obtained elsewhere, either in Europe or America; and as such, the use of them was solicited by the general government, and granted by the corporation, for the purpose of sending them with the American commissioners to Europe, in support of the claims of the United States. By the munificence of private individuals, the department of the library relative to American history is unrivalled, both in extent and completeness; the same may be said concerning the collec

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