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Article M. MICHELET ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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M. Michelet On Freemasonry.
" The arcade , throxxn from one pillar to another , is fifty feet xvide . This number is repeated throughout the building , and is the measure of the height of tho columns . The side aisles are half the width of the arcade ; the facade is thrice its width . The entire length of the edifice is thrice its entire breadth ; or , in other words , is nine times the xvidth of the arcade . The breadth of the whole church is equal to the length of the choir , and of the nave , and to the height of the middle of the roof .
The length is to the height as 2 to 5 . Finally , the arcade and tho sickaisles are repeated externally , in the counterfoils and buttresses xx-hich support the edifice . Seven , the number of tho gifts of tho Holy Ghost , and of the sacraments , is the number of the chapels of the choir ; and txviee seven that of the columns by which it is supported . " This predilection for mystical numbers occurs in all the churches . The cathedral of lieims has sex'en entrancesand both it and tlie
, cathedral of Chartres have seven chapels round the choir . The choir of ISfotre Dame at Paris has sex * en arcades . The cross-aisle is I'M feet long ( 16 times 9 ) and 42 feet xvide ( 6 times 1 ) , xvhich . is likewise the width of one of tho toxvers , and the diameter of one of the large roses . Tlie toxvers of Notre Dame are 204 feet high ( 17 times 12 ) . It has 297 columns ( 297 -f 3 = 99 ; which , divided by 3 = 33 ; which , too , divided by 3 = 11 )
and 45 chapels ( 5 X 9 ) . The belfry , which rose above the cross-aisle , xx-as 104 feet high , the same height as the chief arch of the roof . The Church of Notre-Dame at Eeims is 408 long in the clear ( 408 - ~ 2 gives 204 , the height of the towers of Notre-Dame at Paris ; 204 -r 17 = 12 ) . The Church of Notre Dame at Chartres is 396 -7- 6 = 66 , which , divided by 2 = 33 = 3 X 11 ) . The naves of St . Ouen , atKouen , and ofthe cathedrals of Strasbourg and of Chartres are all three of equal lengths ( 244 feet ) . The Saint Chapelleat Paris is 110 feet hih ( 100 -s- 10 11 ) 110
, g = , feet long , and 27 feet ( tlie third poxver of 3 ) xvide . " To whom belonged this science of numbers , this divine mathematics ? To no mortal man did it belong , but to the Church of God . Under the shadow of the Church , in chapters and in monasteries , the secret xvas transmitted , together xvith instruction in the mysteries of Christianity . The Church alone coulcl accomplish these miracles of architecture . She would often summon a whole le to lete a monument . A hundred
peop comp thousand men laboured at once on that of Strasbourg , and such xvas their zeal , that they did not suffer night to interrupt their work , but continued it by torchlight . Often too , the Church would lavish centuries on the sloxv accomplishment of a perfect work . Uenaxid de Montauban bore stones for the building of Cologne cathedral , and to this day it is in process of erection . Such patient strength was all triumphant . "
The solution to the means by xvhich this xvondrous combition of conceptix'e genius ancl systematic execution xvas realized , seems to be early traced to the fact that the most illustrious bishops of the middle ages xvere highly skilled in architecture , both as regards its theory ancl practice . The ten abbots xvho succeeded Marc cl ' Argent were each iu his turn " master of
the works , " or , as Sir Christopher AVren calls it , " Avarden , " during the construction of St . Ouen , at Rouen . Nor need Ave " go far for examples , as long as the glorious memory of AVilliam of Wy keham is treasured up in the noble structures that to this day adorn Oxford ancl AVinchester .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M. Michelet On Freemasonry.
" The arcade , throxxn from one pillar to another , is fifty feet xvide . This number is repeated throughout the building , and is the measure of the height of tho columns . The side aisles are half the width of the arcade ; the facade is thrice its width . The entire length of the edifice is thrice its entire breadth ; or , in other words , is nine times the xvidth of the arcade . The breadth of the whole church is equal to the length of the choir , and of the nave , and to the height of the middle of the roof .
The length is to the height as 2 to 5 . Finally , the arcade and tho sickaisles are repeated externally , in the counterfoils and buttresses xx-hich support the edifice . Seven , the number of tho gifts of tho Holy Ghost , and of the sacraments , is the number of the chapels of the choir ; and txviee seven that of the columns by which it is supported . " This predilection for mystical numbers occurs in all the churches . The cathedral of lieims has sex'en entrancesand both it and tlie
, cathedral of Chartres have seven chapels round the choir . The choir of ISfotre Dame at Paris has sex * en arcades . The cross-aisle is I'M feet long ( 16 times 9 ) and 42 feet xvide ( 6 times 1 ) , xvhich . is likewise the width of one of tho toxvers , and the diameter of one of the large roses . Tlie toxvers of Notre Dame are 204 feet high ( 17 times 12 ) . It has 297 columns ( 297 -f 3 = 99 ; which , divided by 3 = 33 ; which , too , divided by 3 = 11 )
and 45 chapels ( 5 X 9 ) . The belfry , which rose above the cross-aisle , xx-as 104 feet high , the same height as the chief arch of the roof . The Church of Notre-Dame at Eeims is 408 long in the clear ( 408 - ~ 2 gives 204 , the height of the towers of Notre-Dame at Paris ; 204 -r 17 = 12 ) . The Church of Notre Dame at Chartres is 396 -7- 6 = 66 , which , divided by 2 = 33 = 3 X 11 ) . The naves of St . Ouen , atKouen , and ofthe cathedrals of Strasbourg and of Chartres are all three of equal lengths ( 244 feet ) . The Saint Chapelleat Paris is 110 feet hih ( 100 -s- 10 11 ) 110
, g = , feet long , and 27 feet ( tlie third poxver of 3 ) xvide . " To whom belonged this science of numbers , this divine mathematics ? To no mortal man did it belong , but to the Church of God . Under the shadow of the Church , in chapters and in monasteries , the secret xvas transmitted , together xvith instruction in the mysteries of Christianity . The Church alone coulcl accomplish these miracles of architecture . She would often summon a whole le to lete a monument . A hundred
peop comp thousand men laboured at once on that of Strasbourg , and such xvas their zeal , that they did not suffer night to interrupt their work , but continued it by torchlight . Often too , the Church would lavish centuries on the sloxv accomplishment of a perfect work . Uenaxid de Montauban bore stones for the building of Cologne cathedral , and to this day it is in process of erection . Such patient strength was all triumphant . "
The solution to the means by xvhich this xvondrous combition of conceptix'e genius ancl systematic execution xvas realized , seems to be early traced to the fact that the most illustrious bishops of the middle ages xvere highly skilled in architecture , both as regards its theory ancl practice . The ten abbots xvho succeeded Marc cl ' Argent were each iu his turn " master of
the works , " or , as Sir Christopher AVren calls it , " Avarden , " during the construction of St . Ouen , at Rouen . Nor need Ave " go far for examples , as long as the glorious memory of AVilliam of Wy keham is treasured up in the noble structures that to this day adorn Oxford ancl AVinchester .