Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul: An Account of the Old and New Buildings with a Short Historical SketchDimock, Arthur
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul: An Account of the Old and New Buildings with a Short Historical Sketch
Dimock, Arthur
St. Paul's Cathedral (London, England)
For the sake of simplicity these are taken together. Not till some
eighty years after the completion of the building was any monument
placed in it: another instance of how the intentions of the architect
were ignored. In 1795, John Bacon, R.A. (1740-1799), finished the
Howard and Johnson statues, and that of Sir William Jones four years
later. The Reynolds statue, by John Flaxman, R.A. (1755-1826), was
added about the same time; and these four memorials occupy what Milman
calls the four posts of honour in front of the great supports. Then
came the wars not only with France, but in all parts of the world; and
while some of these heroes by land and sea to whom monuments were
erected are immortal, others are now so forgotten that even the date
of their birth is difficult to obtain. Yet their general claim is that
they were killed in the service of their country; and no one need
grudge them this honour. I cannot but think that a certain amount of
indiscriminate amateur criticism has been expended on the earlier
works. Johnson is represented partially draped in a toga; and there is
a sequence of nude or semi-nude Victories and Fames with or without
wings. The taste of to-day has changed, and but few people approve of
the typical design of the reign of George III. Yet it is necessary to
state that besides four by Flaxman, six bear the imprints of the
genius of Sir Francis Chantrey, R.A. (1782-1831), not to mention five
by E.H. Bailey, R.A. (1788-1847), and six by Rossi. Not only were
Flaxman and Chantrey artists and not mere masons, but examples of both
Bacon and Bailey are among the very few sculptures in the National
Gallery. The asterisk affixed to the number indicates that the remains
slumber in the Crypt.
NORTH AISLE OF NAVE.
1. Officers and men of the Cavalry and 57th and 77th Foot (now 1st and
2nd battalions of the Middlesex Regiment) who died or were killed in
the Crimea, with old colours of Middlesex Regiment carried in the
Crimea. (Marochetti.)
*2. =Wellington= (1769-1852). Sarcophagus of white marble with
ornaments in bronze. The recumbent effigy in bronze rests upon this.
The canopy supported by Corinthian columns of white marble, which are
carved with foliated diaper pattern. The bronze groups represent
Valour, with Cowardice at her feet, and Truth plucking out the tongue
of Falsehood. The canopy arch supports a great pediment intended for
an equestrian statue, and the faces have the Duke's arms and the
Garter. The chief battles are inscribed at the base. (Alfred Stevens.)
3. =Gordon= (Major-Gen. Chas. Geo., C.B., 1833-1885). Admirers of this
Christian hero constantly bring fresh flowers, which the attendants
remove when withered. Gordon's head was exhibited by the Mahdi, and
his trunk thrown into the Nile at Khartoum. A recumbent figure on a
sarcophagus, the features beautifully chiselled. One of two by that
great sculptor, Sir Joshua Edgar Boehm, R.A. (1834-1890).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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