The Spirit Of Gothic Art.

Tho Jewish idea was expressed in a temple , likewise of no great elevation , and , for the most part , without roof , adorned with the most lavish and gorgeous sculpture and colours , —columns massive and strong , and with complicated arrangements , typ ical of tho greatness of Jehovah , and tho mystery of His nature ,- —shadowing forth tho vastitude of His splendour and majesty , and

tbe profusencss of His beneficent loving kindness . _ It was , in the words of its own laureate , " The perfection of Beauty , "— " Beautiful for situation and the joy of the whole earth . " And though not a vestige remains , — " There survives a tinge of glory yet ,

Which , though the lustre , of its day bath set , Tells of the joy and splendour that hath been . " The Christian idea was expressed in those lofty temples whose turrets and p innacles seem darting up towards God , as they stand out against the deep blue sky , like mystic open lace-work . The Master had ascended up on high , and so the grand art feeling of his

servants could not but thither tend . It sought iu the far-stretching vistas aud " starry-pointing " spires to symbolise the over-vanishing , over-approaching perspective of Eternity , and the communion between the Eternal and tho human , —connecting heaven and earth by those " cloud-capped" spires whose fine-less points shadow forth the terminated course of man ' s

supplication , aud the source of his hope , anil illustrating that bounteous mercy which ever flows downward , like " the precious ointment which ran down even unto the skirts of Aaron ' s clothing . " Thus , in tho Gothic era , wo have arrived at that interesting period when the new impulse of Christianity so greatly affected tho world of art . The old mythologics ,

theologies , and idolatries had had their reign , and right glorious had it been . Beautiful exceedingly were the fictions of the early world : all tho dark and . mysterious events of life , and the marvellous phenomena of nature , were embodied and explained in their poetical and dreamy faith . And now they had passed away , those old-world dreamers . Thoy have gone to the great

hereafter , and the broken relics of their beautiful temples still survive , like wrecks upon the ancient sands of time -. precious fragments which have escaped the sweeping dash of Time ' s ever-rolling sea . Aud as we wander upon

the shores of that solemn soundless ocean , we hear ever and anon sorrowful sweet voices sighing up from the mysterious billows , and whispering , in tones of dull pulsating music , tales and legends of the olden time . From the god-liko old evolved the heaven-like new , which has literally entangled the imagination in the magical web of enchantmentrecalling to memory the

, poet ' s description of the Grotto of Antiparos , with its countless glittering stalactites . Who is there who cannot exclaim with the poet" Oft enraptured have I loved to roam , A ling'ring votary , through tho vaulted dome , Where the tall shafts , that mount in massy pride , Their mingling branches shoot from side to side ;

"Where Elfin sculptors , with fantastic clew , O ' er the long roof their wild embroidery drew ; Where superstition , with capricious hand , In many a maze the wreathed windows pann'd !" All art is symbolical , and none is more so than Gothic art . The proper display of purpose and the immediate expression of feeling are therein beautifully portrayed ,

the first and greatest of its objects being to express the elevation of holy thoughts—the loftiness of meditation set free from earth , and proceeding unfettered to the heavens . It is this finely-embodied Christian idea which at once stamps itself on the spirit of the beholder , however little he may himself bo capable of analysing his feelings when he gazes on these far-stretching columns

and airy domes"Not for a prelate , nor a warrior ' s glory , JTor pride of kingly throne ; For God—for God alone , AVere raised these sumptuous shrines , august and hoary . "

A complex inquiry into the origin of the Gothic art would , I fear , only serve to land us in complexity ; therefore I shall but refer to some of the theories which have been put forward . It is generally admitted that Gothic art came to this country from France ; but whether France or Germany have tho priority in point of adoption or invention , I do not know . I think the first building

erected in this country in the now style was that of St . Cross , at Winchester , about tho year 1130 . This was begun by Henry of Blois , after he became established in this country , he having previously been a monk at Glugny . It is the intersection of some circular arches in this church that Dr . Milnor thinks gave rise to the Gothic art ; but this is very improbable , when we

consider tkatHcnry must havo been familiar with the Gothic erections of Clngny long before ho left it . A very singular theory has been advanced by some , I should fancy straight-laced Puritans , that for the first three centuries after Christ there was no such a thing as a church , as we understand the term , and that when it did arise it was the offspring of the Papacy ; all

forgetful of the fact that tho surname of their own Bethels has a far more distinct connexion with the Papacy than the word church has . Now , Dr . Mead has most elaborately shown , from St . Austin , St . Basil , Jerome , Chrysostom , and a host of other well-known " early Fathers , " that there were such places even in the first century . Moreover , Roman Pagan authors inform us of the same fact .

It were , therefore , idle to go into the subject , the object being to prove that any barn is good enough for the worship of the living God . One theory attributes the invention of Gothic art to the Ostro-Goths , the ancient inhabitants of Scandinavia , who , in the beginning of the fifth century , ravaged the fairest portions of Europe . Another theory makes the

Saracens to be the inventors ; a third , the Moors ; a fourth , tho Visi-Goths , the ancient inhabitants of Spain ; a fifth , the Freemasons , artisans of all nations , who , during the Middle Ages , roamed from nation to nation , building castles , abbeys , monasteries , churches , and cathedrals . Probably , these men played no mean part in the perfection of the art , even if they were not the inventors .

Another fruitful source of inquiry has been , —What prototype suggested the art ? Mr . Warburton suggests that natural groves supplied tho primitive idea ; the trunks , branches , and foliage of the trees being represented in pillars , arches , and tracery . Sir James Hall suggests that the whole style , in all its varieties , is but an imitation of wicker-work . Sir Christopher Wren

considered that the Freemasons gathered the idea from the Saracens . Some German writers consider the idea to have been an imitation of the acute-angled ceiling of the Egyptian pyramids . Dr . Whittaker and many others tell us that the pointed arch was known and practised by tho Romans , and was originated in cross vaults , as seen in the Palace of Diocletian , at Spalatro , in Dalmatia .

Such are a few of the " thousand and one" theories which have been advanced , and hotly contested , about the origin and invention of Gothic art . For Classic art there are numerous books of rules for our guidance ; but , as for Gothic art , no such books have come down to us , —indeed , no such books appear to have been written . The art seems to have been the child

born of Christianity , in her desire to give expression to her wants and to embod y herself in a material form . The artists seem to have considered that greatness of extent and height , variety of forms , and fairy-like lightness , each and all suggested by the Christianity from whence the art sprang , aud all combining to produce majesty and magical beauty , should be the chief end in

view , and well did they succeed ! The wondrous variety introducedinto the art is truly magical ; Genius alone could so invest it . Witness the matchless sculptures ; slender columns , whose deep mouldings produce such beautiful