СНАР. 478 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE. On the other leaf, the Prophet fed by the raven, and 'Habent Mosen et Prophetas, audiant illos.' A most superb silver gilt and embossed Prayer Book adorned with angels, a glory, pillars, &c., inscribed ‹ Oculi 'Domini super istos et aures ejus in preces eorum,' and 'Fiant orationes pro omnibus hominibus pro regibus.' Two silver gilt chalices with patens, embossed with a saint bearing Agnus Dei. A pair of patens. Two large silver gilt plates, the gift of Mr. Charles Smith, late Prebendary of S. Paul's, and Archdeacon of Colchester. The bottom of these plates embossed with representations of the Lord's Supper, and the widow giving her mite. The rims with the donor's arms and crest, cherubim and scrolls. Two enormous tankards, finely embossed, given by the same Rev. Charles Smith. A very large silver gilt plate. The centre an angel with a label and a Greek inscription, the arms of the donor on the back. Another very large silver gilt plate, with the Lord's Supper, extremely well done, on its borders, cornucopiæ and emblematical figures. Two large tankards of silver gilt, very much but clumsily embossed. A large silver gilt plate, with I.H.S. on a glory. A pair of silver gilt candlesticks, two feet nine inches high, exclusive of the spike, with triangular feet. Two other candlesticks of the same materials, about two feet in height.3 S. Paul's never beheld again any of these treasures, and the authorities dominant at the time were content with very modest vessels for the altar of the Cathedral. • Malcolm, vol. iii. pp. 144, 145, with the inscriptions. BISHOPS AND DEANS OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 479 The Bishops of London of the nineteenth century CHAP. were: John Randolph. May 25, 1809. William Howley. August 12, 1813. Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles James Blomfield. August 15, 1828. Archibald Campbell Tait. November 23, 1856. DEANS. On the promotion of Pretyman Tomline to Winchester. William Van Mildert, also Bishop of Llandaff. Bishop of Durham. August 20, 1820. Charles Richard Sumner, also Bishop of Llandaff. Bishop of Winchester. April 25, 1826. Edward Copleston, also Bishop of Llandaff. December 12, 1827. Henry Hart Milman. November 1, 1849. XVIII. 480 THE MONUMENTS IN S. PAUL'S. CHAP. CHAPTER XIX. THE MONUMENTS IN S. PAUL'S. THERE had long been a low murmur among intelligent men, which grew at length into a loud acclamation, that S. Paul's might fitly become a Valhalla for English worthies. Westminster Abbey was already crowded to overflowing, and to say nothing of the many bad fantastic monuments of all ages in the Abbey, modern statues were in themselves ill suited for its aspiring Gothic architecture. But the naked walls, the arcades, the recesses of S. Paul's would be enlivened and enriched, its lines not incongruously broken by images of great men, or even monuments of more ambitious sculpture. But the adverse determination seemed invincible; it could not be infringed, as it has appeared, for a monument to a Dean. Thomas Newton's monument wandered to another church. It is highly to the honour of S. Paul's that the first triumph over this inveterate prejudice was extorted by admiration of the highest Christian charity. The firs statue admitted at S. Paul's was, not that of statesman, warrior, or even of sovereign; it was that of John Howard. the pilgrim, not to gorgeous shrines of saints and martyrs, not even to holy lands, but to the loathsome depths and darkness of the prisons throughout what called itself the civilised world. Howard first exposed to the shuddering sight of mankind the horrible barbarities, the foul and abominable secrets, of those dens of unmitigated suffering. By the exposure he at least let some light and air into those earthly hells. Perhaps no man has assuaged so much human misery as John Howard; and John Howard rightly took his place at one corner of the Dome of S. Paul's, the genuine Apostle of Him among whose titles to our veneration and love not the least befitting, not the least glorious, was that he went about doing good.' The ice of prejudice was broken; the example was soon followed. The second statue, at the earnest urgency of Sir Joshua Reynolds, was that of Samuel Johnson. Though Johnson was buried in the Abbey among his brother men of letters, yet there was a singular propriety in the erection of Johnson's statue in S. Paul's. Among the most frequent and regular communicants at the altar of the Cathedral might be seen a man whose ungainly gestures and contortions of countenance evinced his profound awe, reverence, and satisfaction at that awful mystery; this was Samuel Johnson, who on all the great festivals wandered up from his humble lodgings in Bolt Court, or its neighbourhood, to the Cathedral. Johnson might be well received as the representative of the literature of England. Sir Joshua Reynolds took the third place, as the master in our fine arts. The fourth was adjudged to that remarkable man, Sir W. Jones, the first who opened the treasures of Oriental learning, the poetry and wisdom of our Indian Empire, to wondering Europe. The great work of the revolution began. One triumph broke down and swept away any lingering reluctance (if there was still reluctance) to people the walls of S. Paul's with cenotaphs or statues to our great men. Our victorious admirals and generals imperatively demanded places of honour for their name and memory. Parliament, to whose omnipotence the clergy could not bow at once, issued its commands; and, perhaps with ill-judging but honourably CHAP. XIX. XIX. CHAP. prodigal liberality, voted large sums for monuments, which could not be expended but on vast masses of marble, more to the advantage of the artists than to their sublime art. Fames and Victories, and all kinds of unmeaning allegories, gallant men fighting and dying in every conceivable or hardly conceivable attitude, rose on every side, on every wall, under every arch. The chronicle of these monuments will best follow the chronicles of our more glorious feats of arms or the extension of our empire. I. The line of our naval heroes wound up by Nelson, who so cleared the ocean at Trafalgar of our adversaries that he left but little to be achieved, after his crowning victory, by his no less brave perhaps, but less fortunate followers and disciples. Most of the other monuments were cenotaphs or statues. The tomb of Nelson contained the mortally wounded body of Nelson. II. The rulers, administrators, warriors, we may add the two first Christian Bishops of our Indian Empire, will follow in due course. III. Then may fitly come our military heroes who died in their country's service in every part of the world. These after many years, as the naval heroes culminated and closed in Nelson, will be brought to a glorious end by Wellington. IV. We sum up and conclude with a few men, perhaps not less useful to mankind, though less splendidly renowned; men of science, of art, and of letters. I. The marble chronicles of our naval conquerors commenced with Lord Rodney-a splendid mass of marble, for which Parliament began its lavish grants. The sculptor Rossi-how chosen, and by whom the design was approved, appears not received 6,000l. Henceforth the conventional Fame and faithful History took their regular stand. But |